What Is Overactive Bladder?
Loss of bladder control is called
urinary incontinence. It can happen to anyone, but is very common in older people. More than 13 million people in the United States -- male and female, young and old -- experience urinary incontinence. It is often temporary, and it always results from an underlying medical condition.
One type of urinary incontinence is called urge incontinence. Urge incontinence is also known as overactive bladder. If you lose urine for no apparent reason, while suddenly feeling the need or urge to urinate, you may have overactive bladder.
The most common cause of overactive bladder is inappropriate bladder
contractions.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults over age 40 has symptoms of overactive bladder.
If you experience overactive bladder, you may feel embarrassed. It may help you to remember that loss of bladder control can usually be treated. You will need to overcome your embarrassment, and see a doctor, to learn if you need treatment for an underlying medical condition.
Understanding Bladder Control
The body stores urine in the bladder. During urination, muscles in the bladder contract or tighten. This forces urine out of the bladder, and into a tube called the urethra, that carries urine out of the body. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax and let the urine pass through. Spinal nerves control how these muscles move. Overactive bladder occurs if the bladder muscles contract without warning.
Causes of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder happens when people can't hold their urine long enough to get to the toilet in time. Healthy people can have overactive bladder, but it is often found in people who have nerve damage. Involuntary actions of bladder muscles can occur because of damage to the nerves of the bladder, to the nervous system (spinal cord and brain), or to the muscles themselves. This typically occurs in diseases such as:
Overactive bladder symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- A strong, sudden need to urinate
- Inability to get to the bathroom in time, after the urge.
The first step in treating overactive bladder is to see a doctor. He or she will give you a physical exam, and ask about your medical history. The doctor will ask about your symptoms, and the medicines you use. He or she will want to know if you have been sick recently, or if you've had surgery. Your doctor may also do a number of tests to help in diagnosing overactive bladder. These might include:
- Urine tests
- Blood tests
- Tests that measure how well you empty your bladder.
In addition, in order to help diagnose overactive bladder, your doctor may ask you to keep a daily diary of when you urinate, and when you leak urine. Your pattern of urinating and urine leakage may suggest which type of incontinence you have.
Treatment for Overactive Bladder
Today, there are more overactive bladder treatment options than ever before. The choice of overactive bladder treatment depends on:
- How serious it is
- What best fits your lifestyle.
Overactive bladder treatment options fall into four broad categories:
- Behavioral therapy
- Medications
- Devices
- Surgery.
Experts agree that no overactive bladder treatment is perfect for everyone with incontinence. Overactive bladder treatment depends not only on the severity of overactive bladder, but on an individual's lifestyle, and personal preferences.
The success of overactive bladder treatment is an individual perception. It may not always be a reasonable expectation to be cured.
About 70 percent of women with overactive bladder benefit from a combination of simple measures, such as:
- Bladder retraining
- Exercises
- Medication.
(To learn more about treatment options, click Overactive Bladder Treatment and Medications for Overactive Bladder.)
