With the aging of the population, more and more middle-aged and elderly people are suffering from overactive bladder syndrome. Overactive bladder syndrome is a syndrome characterized by urinary urgency, the most obvious manifestations of which are urinary urgency, urinary frequency, nocturia and urge incontinence, also commonly known as “inability to hold urine”.
According to the epidemiological survey conducted in China, the overall prevalence of overactive bladder in people over 18 years old is 5.9%, and the prevalence increases gradually with age; the overall prevalence of overactive bladder in people over 40 years old is 11.3%! This means that 1 in 10 people over the age of 40 is deeply affected by overactive bladder.
The prevalence of overactive bladder tends to increase significantly with age and is comparable in men and women. In addition, overactive bladder syndrome is also a problem for people who have been vegetarians for a long time, drink beverages such as coffee and tea, are physically active for a long time, smoke too much and for a long time, drink alcohol regularly, have children and are menopausal, have a high number of deliveries or scrapings, and have men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. People with these habits or medical histories need to be alerted to overactive bladder disorder!
Eighty-five percent of current patients with overactive bladder disorder have not sought medical attention. A very important reason why patients do not seek medical attention is low disease awareness: a large percentage of patients who do not seek medical attention believe that urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia and urge incontinence are symptoms that naturally occur as they get older, and do not know that they are treatable diseases, often corresponding with patience, which not only delays the best time for treatment, but also places a heavy psychological burden on them. Patients with overactive bladder disorder can cause more serious problems if they are not treated actively. Nearly 1/3 of the elderly over 65 years old with overactive bladder disorder suffer from falls, and hip fractures caused by falls lead to a variety of health problems and even death.
Professor Liao Limin, director of the Department of Urology at Beijing Boai Hospital, a subsidiary of the China Rehabilitation Research Center, said, “Current treatments for overactive bladder disorder include medication, behavioral training, and lifestyle modifications. Among them, medication is the most widely used and most effective. The first line of treatment for overactive bladder is M-receptor antagonists, such as the highly selective solifenacin. Moreover, most overactive bladder disorders require long-term treatment”. M-receptor antagonists such as solifenacin are recommended in the guidelines for the treatment of overactive bladder developed by authorities such as the International Society of Urological Control, the European Society of Urology, the Chinese Society of Urology and the Japanese Society of Urological Organs. In addition appropriate behavioral training, such as bladder training and pelvic floor muscle training, can also help relieve the symptoms of overactive bladder disorder.