What is overactive bladder disorder?
How many times do you go to the bathroom during the day? Do you go more than 8 times and have an urge to do so. Do you get up more than 2 times at night because you have to pee? Then you probably have overactive bladder disorder. It is estimated that 30 million Americans suffer from overactive bladder, and the most problematic part is that this unpredictable urge to urinate without warning can cause considerable problems in your work, social, and family life.
How does an overactive bladder become “overactive”?
Your body holds urine in the bladder, and nerve signals through the sacral nerves (pictured: Sacral nerves) tell the detrusor muscle, the muscle that surrounds the bladder, to contract to begin the process of urination, while nerve signals tell the urethra (pictured: Urethra) to open to allow urine to flow. Studies have shown that a variety of factors can contribute to overactive bladder syndrome, such as the sacral nerve signaling the contraction of the detrusor muscle when the bladder is not yet full (often referred to as an unstable detrusor contraction).
Overactive bladder syndrome vs. incontinence Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB for short) does not necessarily mean that you are incontinent. More than two-thirds of OAB are called “dry OAB” and do not experience incontinence as long as they are able to go to the bathroom on time. The rest are called “wet OAB”, which means that there is leakage – urge incontinence – which is usually caused by a sudden and very strong urge to urinate that cannot be controlled.
What causes the “signal” problem Sometimes the symptoms that lead to overactive bladder syndrome are very simple and easy to diagnose, such as a urinary tract infection. Other possibilities include nerve damage or pelvic surgery, bladder stones, diabetes, kidney disease, side effects of certain medications, central nervous problems such as Parkinson’s, stroke, etc. But more often than not the cause of overactive bladder disorder is not clear.
Initial diagnosis – clarifying the severity Your doctor may ask you a series of questions. These include how much your life is affected by the disorder, how often you urinate during the day, and how often you get up at night to urinate. It is likely that you will be asked to keep a long-term urinary diary.
Tests and diagnosis In addition to the need to rule out the disease causing the symptoms, the following tests may be required: residual urine volume measurement after urination, urinary flow rate measurement, and urodynamic testing.
Living with OAB To relieve the symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome, it is necessary to abstain from (or try to avoid) caffeinated beverages (coffee, cola, etc.), alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes, onions, spicy foods, etc. Most people with OAB limit their daytime drinking, but excessive control of drinking will concentrate the urine and will increase the likelihood of cystitis. Foods high in fiber will prevent the onset of constipation that causes severe overactive bladder syndrome. You can talk to your doctor who will teach you bladder control through regular urination exercises.
You can do this anywhere, in the car, in a meeting, watching TV. Tighten and hold the muscle in question (the muscle that stops the end of urination) for a few seconds, then relax and repeat.
Medication If dietary changes, pelvic floor exercises, and behavioral exercises do not reduce the symptoms of overactive bladder disorder, then the next step is usually to take medication, which currently works on the bladder muscles (relaxes the bladder muscles). They are taken at least once a day and the side effects are mostly dry mouth, constipation, and difficulty urinating.