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What is Overactive bladder?
Filling and emptying your bladder is a complex interplay of kidney function, nerve signals and muscle activity. A problem anywhere throughout this system can contribute to overactive bladder and urge incontinence.
Read more on www.mayoclinic.com
Also known as incontinence, urinary incontinence, bladder control, urge incontinence, irritable bladder, detrusor instability, detrusor hyperreflexia, incontinence - urge, unstable bladder, Overactive Urinary Bladder, Overactive Detrusor, spasmodic bladder, Overactive Detrusor Function
Overactive bladder information from trusted sources:
Bladder Control
Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control. Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. It can happen to anyone, but it becomes more common with age. Most bladder control problems happen when muscles are too weak or too active. If the muscles that keep your bladder closed are weak, you may have accidents when you sneeze, laugh or lift a heavy object. This is stress incontinence. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom when you have little urine in your bladder. This is urge incontinence or overactive bladder. There are other causes of incontinence, such as prostate problems and nerve damage. Read more on
www.nlm.nih.gov
Overactive bladder
Does it feel like you're always hurrying to the bathroom, afraid that you won't make it on time Do you have trouble sitting through meetings or social functions without taking a restroom break If so, you may have an overactive bladder. Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Incontinence
Urine is a waste product made as the kidneys filter the blood. Each kidney (one kidney on each side of the abdomen) sends newly made urine to the bladder through a tube called a ureter. The bladder acts like a storage site for urine. It expands to hold the urine until a person decides to urinate. Read more on
www.emedicinehealth.com
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It is a very common problem that is thought to affect about three million people in the UK. Read more on
www.nhs.uk
Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the loss of control over urination. Urinary incontinence affects more than 15 million Americans, particularly women and the elderly. The condition exacts a considerable toll on quality of life, interfering with work, social activities, and sex. Many people who suffer from urinary incontinence are too embarrassed to seek help, or think that the condition is just part of the aging process. Read more on
www.pdrhealth.com
Overactive thyroid
A condition caused by excessive secretion of the thyroid glands, which increases the basal metabolic rate, causing an increased demand for food to support this metabolic activity. Read more on
www.emedicinal.com
Overactive Bladder Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise and Medication by ...
Mar 10, 2011 ... Learn overactive bladder (urinary incontinence) symptoms, treatment, exercise for better bladder control and medications: oxybutynin ... Read more on
www.medicinenet.com
Treatment Options for Overactive Bladder
Learn more about the treatment options for overactive bladder, including drugs, natural remedies, and surgery. Read more on
www.webmd.com
Overactive bladder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a urological condition defined by a set of symptoms: "urgency, with or without urge incontinence, usually with frequency and ... Read more on
en.wikipedia.org
Overactive Bladder (OAB) - Urge Incontinence, Irritable Bladder ...
Overactive bladder, or OAB, urge incontinence, irritable bladder, unstable bladder, and detrusor hyperreflexia, is the sudden and strong need to urinate. Read more on
www.healthline.com
Contents
Complications
As might be expected, urge incontinence can affect your overall quality of life, but frequent urination and nocturia can also be detrimental to your well-being. People with significant disruption from an overactive bladder are more susceptible to: Depression; Emotional distress
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www.mayoclinic.com
Coping and support
Living with overactive bladder can be difficult. Organizations such as the National Association for Continence can provide you with resources and information about joining a support group of people who experience overactive bladder and urge incontinence. Support groups offer a venue for voicing concerns and learning new coping strategies and often provide motivation to maintain self-care strategies.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Preparing for your appointment
You're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, he or she may refer you to a urologist or a urogynecologist for diagnosis and treatment. When you make your appointment, ask your doctor if you should keep a bladder diary for a few days. You record when, how much and what kind of fluids you consume; when you urinate; whether you feel an urge to urinate; and whether you experience incontinence. Your diary may reveal patterns that help your doctor understand your symptoms and identify contributing factors.
Read more on
www.mayoclinic.com
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce your risk of overactive bladder include a regular exercise routine, a high-fiber diet, and limited consumption of caffeine and alcohol.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Risk factors
As you grow older, you're at increased risk of developing overactive bladder, and you're also more susceptible to diseases and disorders that can contribute to problems with bladder function, such as enlarged prostate and diabetes. Although common among older adults, overactive bladder and urge incontinence shouldn't be considered a normal part of aging.
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www.mayoclinic.com
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of overactive bladder may mean you: Feel a strong, sudden urge to urinate; Experience urge incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine immediately following an urgent need to urinate; Urinate frequently, usually eight or more times in 24 hours; Awaken two or more times in the night to urinate (nocturia)
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www.mayoclinic.com
Tests and diagnosis
In a basic diagnostic workup, your doctor will look for clues that may also indicate contributing factors. The exam will likely include: A medical history; A physical examination with particular focus on your abdomen and genitals; A urine sample to test for infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities; A focused neurological exam that may identify sensory problems
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www.mayoclinic.com
Treatments and drugs
Your doctor is likely to recommend a combination of treatment strategies to alleviate your symptoms.
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www.mayoclinic.com