Overactive Bladder

 

  Overactive bladder (OAB) is a group of symptoms, occurring when a person has sudden:

• Urgency: When a person as a sudden urge to urinate

• Frequency: When a person as goes to urinate frequently in the day or night

• Incontinence: This accompanies urgency, when a person leaks urinate at the “gotta go feeling”.

This occurs when the bladder muscles contract at an inappropriate time, regardless of the amount of urine in the bladder. This may be cause by a variety of underlying conditions or medications. It is mostly common in women and the elderly.

 

Causes of OAB

An Overactive bladder may be caused by several factors. OAB in men may be a result of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Or Bladder obstruction due to an enlarge prostate. As people age and

 

cognitive function declines, it can be difficult for the bladder to receive signals from the brain regarding emptying the bladder. Other causes of OAB may include, but are not limited to

• Excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption

• Poor kidney function

• Bladder cancer

• Urinary tract infection

• Side effect of medication

• Nerve Damage

• Neurological Disease or Stroke

• Bladder stones

Unfortunately, there are some cases, a cause for overactive bladder cannot be found

 

 

Diagnosis of Overactive bladder

A diagnosis of OAB is made reviewing signs, symptom and a physical examination. Additional testing for OAB may include:

• Urinalysis

• Urinary Stress test

• Ultrasound

• Cytometry to measure pressure in the bladder

• Post void Residual

 

 

Treatment for Overactive Bladder

Treatment is based on the severity of symptoms, the underlying cause and the patient and provider preferences. A conservative treatment may be recommended initially.

• Elimination of bladder irritants, diet changes

• Fluid Management

• Pelvic Floor therapy

• Using a catheter periodically to empty bladder

• Losing weight

• Medications

• PTNS (Percutaneous Tibial nerve Stimulation)

• Botox

• Neuromodulation