Overactive bladder (OAB) gets a lot of attention, but what is it, and how can you manage it? At its core, OAB involves changes in how your bladder stores urine, leading to sudden and sometimes frequent urges to urinate. It’s a recognized medical condition that’s referred to as a syndrome, not a disease. Why not call it a disease? Because it can occur for many different reasons and is often a result of other conditions or health concerns.
Let’s take a close look at what it feels like to have OAB:
- Urinary Urgency: This is what most people notice first. It’s a sudden, strong urge to urinate that’s difficult to control, even when your bladder isn’t full.
- Frequent Urination: A very common symptom, this means that you feel the need to urinate more often than usual—sometimes 8 or more times within a 24-hour period.
- Nighttime Urination: This can happen if you drink a lot of fluids before you go to bed. But if you find that your sleep is interrupted multiple times at night, it could most certainly be a sign you have OAB.
- Urge Incontinence: This happens when you experience a sudden, strong urge to urinate and accidentally leak urine before reaching the bathroom.
You’re not alone
If you have any of these symptoms, rest assured you’re not alone. OAB affects millions of men and women in the US and for many people it’s more than a mere nuisance.* It can quietly reshape daily life in ways that make people feel their world revolves around the closest bathroom.
Some people restrict travel, or long car rides. They curtail social activities, avoid exercise, sports, and outdoor activities. And many become self-conscious about their frequent trips to the bathroom or worry that they’ll have a leak when out with other people.
Research shows that OAB symptoms can be so disruptive that they affect our mental health.** It’s common to feel anxious about being far from a bathroom. Or feeling depressed and distressed because you can’t take part in the activities you once enjoyed. OAB can also lead to sexual issues, sleep disturbances, and interrupted sleep cycles.
The good news is there are treatments available, and that’s why it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you suffer from OAB symptoms.
Lifestyle choices can cause OAB
A good place to begin taking control of your OAB is to curtail some of the everyday habits that can cause overactive bladder:***
- Too much caffeine can increase urine production and stimulate the bladder
- Excessive alcohol can increase urine production because alcohol acts as a diuretic— something that causes your kidneys to make more urine.
- Drinking too many fluids can cause our bladder to fill more quickly
- Bladder irritants such as carbonated beverages, acidic and spicy foods, and artificial sweeteners can increase bladder sensitivity, triggering urgency and frequent urination
- Smoking and tobacco products can irritate the bladder and worsen OAB symptoms
Medical illness can also cause OAB
Sometimes, an overactive bladder is linked to an underlying medical condition.**** That’s why it’s important to see your healthcare provider and rule out other illnesses. Some of the more common conditions include:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs): These infections often irritate your bladder, causing sudden urges to urinate, frequent urination, and sometimes leakage
- Diabetes: High blood sugar can increase the amount of urine you produce, and diabetes-related nerve damage can interfere with bladder control
- Neurological conditions: Multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and spinal cord injuries can disrupt communication between your brain and bladder
- Enlarged prostate: In men, an enlarged prostate can obstruct urine flow and contribute to bladder overactivity
- Menopause: Declining estrogen levels can affect tissues in the bladder and urinary tract, contributing to urgency and frequency
- Bladder stones: Stones can irritate the bladder lining, triggering frequent urination, or the urge to urinate
- Pelvic organ prolapse: This is when the muscles and tissues that support your pelvic organs become weakened or stretched, allowing some organs—such as your bladder—to shift or drop from their normal position and contribute to urinary symptoms
- Bladder outlet obstruction: A blockage or narrowing at the bladder opening, or in the urethra, can make it difficult to empty your bladder, causing urgency or frequent urination
- Chronic constipation: A buildup of stool can put pressure on the bladder and interfere with normal bladder function
- Obesity: Excess weight can increase pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor, contributing to urinary urgency and incontinence
What can be done to ease OAB?
Your healthcare professional can help identify what’s causing OAB symptoms and recommend treatments to improve bladder control. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may:
- Review your symptoms and medical history to see how often you urinate, whether you experience sudden urges or leakage, and how symptoms affect your daily life
- Perform a physical exam and check for other medical conditions or physical changes that may be contributing to your symptoms
- Recommend a urine test to see if you have a UTI or other issues that may be causing symptoms
- Suggest a bladder diary which can help you track how much you drink, how often you urinate, and when you experience urgency or leakage
- Encourage pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen or retrain the muscles involved in bladder control and reduce urinary urgency
- Prescribe medication that can help relax your bladder muscle, reduce urgency, and improve bladder control
- Refer you to a urologist or urogynecologist to see if further tests and recommendations are needed.
Remember that OAB can be successfully managed and studies show that treatment helps many people reduce symptoms and improve their quality of life. So don’t hesitate to call the urology department at Premier Medical Group with any questions or to make an appointment. We’re here to help. Simply call our office at 845-437-5000 or visit us at https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/
*https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4821440
**https://biologyinsights.com/is-overactive-bladder-serious-risks-and-when-to-worry
***https://www.healthline.com/health/overactive-bladder/overactive-bladder-diet
****https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/causes-overative-bladder