Overactive bladder (OAB) is a forms of bladder dysfunction that may lead to loss of urine control (incontinence). People experiencing overactive bladder are not an isolated group; an estimated 13 million Americans experience OAB or other forms of bladder incontinence, as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Signs/Symptoms
The most widely recognized sign of overactive bladder is the frequent need to urinate. Current advertisements for bladder control products characterize females who "gotta go" at frequent intervals, but males also experience OAB. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) defines frequent urination as in eight or more times in a 24 hour period, with two or more of those times during the night.
The urge to void may come at unpredictable and inconvenient times; sometimes loss of urine occurs before the person can get to the bathroom. Strong, sudden urges to urinate are common with OAB.
For some people with overactive bladder, there may be leakage of urine between voidings. Other people may experience urgency only during the night which is referred to as nocturnal enuresis, as explained by UMMC.
Causes
Involuntary contractions of the bladder muscles are sometimes the cause of OAB explains the Mayo Clinic. Such muscular contractions will result in the urge to void. If the sphincter muscle of the urethra is strong enough to withstand the pressure of these involuntary contractions, the person will be able to withstand the urge to void without incident. If the pressure from the bladder contractions overwhelms the urethral sphincter muscle, leakage of urine will occur.
There are other conditions which may present themselves with symptoms similar to overactive bladder such as urinary tract infections, neurological conditions, cancers and side effects of some medications, according to the Urology Channel.
Reporting
While it may be difficult to discuss symptoms of overactive bladder with your health-care provider, it is important to do so for two reasons: to rule out/treat other conditions that have symptoms similar to OAB and to be able to develop a treatment plan if OAB is diagnosed.
Diagnosis
The health-care professional will want to complete a full medical history and perform a physical examination of the abdomen, genitals, rectum and urethra and test for overall neurological function. A urinalysis will be performed to test for the presence of infection or other medical conditions.
The Mayo Clinic advises that specialized testing of the bladder may be performed to better assess the causes and condition. Such testing may include measurements of residual urine, examination of the bladder through a cystoscope or pressure flow studies.
Treatment
It is not unusual for treatment of overactive bladder to include one or more of these, as advised by the Mayo Clinic and Urology Channel: bladder retraining, use of medication, surgery and sacral nerve stimulation.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises, maintenance of a healthy weight, daily intake of fiber-rich foods and double voiding are all treatments that may be advised by the health-care provider.
