You feel the urge to urinate suddenly if you have an overactive bladder. In some cases, the desire may not be easy to control, and an overactive bladder may result in involuntary urine loss (urge incontinence).
A person with an overactive bladder may feel embarrassed, isolate themselves, or limit their social life and work. Good news: a brief examination can determine whether you are experiencing overactive bladder symptoms due to a specific cause.
It is often beneficial to begin overactive bladder treatment with behavioral strategies like fluid schedules, timed voiding, and bladder-holding techniques. If these initial efforts are insufficient, overactive bladder symptoms can be treated with medications.
If you need a doctor, when should you go?
While the overactive bladder is not uncommon among older adults, it is not a normal part of the Ageing Process. Consult your doctor if your symptoms disrupt your life or distress you. There may be treatments that can help.
It might not be easy to talk to your doctor about such a private matter. Still, it’s worth taking the risk significantly if your symptoms disrupt your daily schedule, social interactions, and everyday activities.
Causes
Normal bladder function
A kidney produces urine, and the bladder drains it. The urine goes through the urethra (the tube that carries the urine out of the body) when you urinate a line at the bottom of your bladder (u-REE-through). The need to urinate is triggered by nerve signals sent to your brain when your bladder fills. Upon receiving signals from the nerves, the urethral sphincter relaxes, and the pelvic floor muscles relax. The muscles contract after pressing against the bladder, and urine is released.
- Stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders.
- Diabetes.
- Take medications with a lot of fluids if they cause an increase in urine production.
- Tumors and bladder stones are abnormalities in the bladder.
- Constipation, enlarged prostates, and previous surgeries for other forms of incontinence can block bladder outflow.
- Caffeine or alcohol consumption is excessive.
- Decreased cognitive function due to aging. As a result, your bladder may have difficulty understanding the signals it receives from your brain.
- Inability to get to the bathroom quickly can lead to bladder urgency if you have difficulty walking.
You feel the urge to urinate suddenly if you have an overactive bladder. In some cases, the desire may not be easy to control, and an overactive bladder may result in involuntary urine loss (urge incontinence).
- Among the workup’s components will be:
- Avoiding dairy (medical history).
- An abdominal and genital exam will be performed.
- Samples of urine are used to test for infection, blood traces, or other abnormalities.
- An examination of the nervous system can identify abnormal reflexes or sensory problems.
- The volume of residual urine after voiding is measured using ultrasound.
- Study of urodynamics.
The treatment of OAB may include behavioral interventions, pelvic floor exercises, medication like anticholinergics, Intradetrusor injections of BOTOX to treat resistant cases, nerve stimulation, and surgery to increase bladder capacity.
