Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Overactive bladder is a common condition that might interfere with daily life and cause several annoying symptoms.

Overactive bladder

Overactive bladder means that the person suffers from a sudden and urgent need to urinate that’s difficult to control.

Bladder hyperactivity is a common condition, and it affects women more than men.

Causes of overactive bladder

There are muscles in the bladder that control it, and when these muscles start to strain on their own, even when there isn’t a lot of urine, then this might lead to an overactive bladder. The conditions that might affect the muscles in the bladder include:

• Abdominal trauma, bladder tumors, or bladder stones.
• Conditions that affect the nerves, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, herniated discs, and Parkinson’s disease.
• Diabetes.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Overweight and obesity.
• Pregnancy.
• Menopause.
• Enlarged prostate.
• Caffeine, alcohol, and certain medications like diuretics.

Symptoms of overactive bladder

• Frequent urination (eight times or more a day).
• Nocturia (urinating more than twice during the night).
• The sudden, urgent, and uncontrollable need to urinate.
• Urgency incontinence, which means leaking pee without meaning to after the sudden urge to urinate.

Diagnosis of overactive bladder

• Medical history.
• Neurological exam.
• Physical exam.
• Urine tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Testing the bladder function.

Treatment of overactive bladder

• Behavioral therapies like bladder training.
• Medications.
• Bladder injections.
• Surgery.
• Certain exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.