When a patient has symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, or incontinence, after excluding urinary tract infections, the following simple scale can be used to initially self-test for the presence and severity of overactive bladder syndrome. Daytime urination: less than 7 times 0 points; 8 to 14 times 1 point; more than 15 times 2 points.
Nocturnal voiding: no nighttime voiding 0 points; 1 nighttime voiding 1 point; 2 nighttime voiding 2 points; more than 2 nighttime voiding 3 points.
Urinary urgency: (unable to hold urine) 0 points for none; less than 1 time per week 1 point; more than 1 time per week 2 points; 1 time per day 3 points; 2 to 4 times per day 4 points; more than 5 times per day 5 points
Unable to hold urine with leakage: none 0 points; less than 1 time per week 1 point; more than 1 time per week 2 points; 1 time per day 3 points; 2 to 4 times per day 4 points; more than 5 times per day 5 points
In summary: an urgency score of 2 or more and a total score of 3 or more is diagnostic of overactive bladder disorder. Less than 5, mild; 6 to 11 points, moderate; greater than 12 points, severe.