Treatment FAQ

what is the treatment for overactive bladder

by Hal Lowe II Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Medications that relax the bladder can be helpful for relieving symptoms of overactive bladder and reducing episodes of urge incontinence. These drugs include: Tolterodine (Detrol) Oxybutynin, which can be taken as a pill (Ditropan XL) or used as a skin patch (Oxytrol) or gel (Gelnique)May 3, 2022

Medication

Top 20 Natural Home Remedies For Overactive Bladder

  1. Pumpkin Seeds. This is the first home remedy for overactive bladder for you to do at home. ...
  2. Kegel Exercises. Among home remedies for overactive bladder, Kegel exercises are one of the most effective. ...
  3. Other Exercises For Pelvic Muscles. ...
  4. Horsetail (Equisetum) Horsetail or equisetum is very effective in the treatment of the overactive bladder. ...
  5. Mushroom. ...
  6. Milk. ...

Procedures

  • Keep a bladder diary to get a better sense of your urinary patterns and any events that preceded a bathroom visit (such as meals, medication doses, or physical activities). ...
  • Schedule regular bathroom breaks throughout the day, even if you don’t have to go. ...
  • When you are finished urinating, wait for several moments and try again. ...

More items...

Self-care

Perform the following steps to train your bladder:

  • Keep a journal to determine how frequently you go to the bathroom.
  • Delay urination with small intervals. Once you feel the need to pee, see if you can hold off for five minutes and work your way up.
  • Schedule trips to the bathroom. You can keep a journal to see how often you need to go and delay that time. ...
  • Perform Kegel exercises regularly.

Nutrition

This acidic food can bother your bladder and make OAB symptoms worse. You may have to cut back on tomato-based foods like spaghetti sauce, chili, and ketchup, too. They help some people avoid getting bladder and urinary tract infections. But because they’re acidic, these berries and juices made from them could spell trouble if you have OAB.

See more

Are there any home remedies for an overactive bladder?

How to Live Your Life with an overactive bladder?

How can I Stop my overactive bladder?

Do certain foods worsen overactive bladder?

See more

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Can overactive bladder be cured?

There's no cure for OAB, but the good news is that there are effective ways to manage it. These include behavioral treatments, lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgery. OAB can happen for several reasons. Sometimes treating the underlying cause of your OAB can help your symptoms.

How do I get rid of overactive bladder fast?

Kegel exercises and muscle trainingTry stopping your urine mid-stream when going. ... Focus on tightening those muscles when you have an empty bladder. ... Breathe normally when doing these exercises.Avoid squeezing your stomach, thighs, or buttocks instead of your pelvic floor muscles.

What is the cause of an overactive bladder?

Overactive bladder describes a combination of symptoms that can include a frequent urge to urinate and waking up at night to urinate. Causes can include weak muscles, nerve damage, use of medications, alcohol or caffeine, infection, and being overweight. Lifestyle changes may help.

How long does it take to treat overactive bladder?

To sum up, optimal duration of OAB pharmacotherapy and efficacy sustenance have not yet been determined. Based on our survey and literature review, it is proposed that OAB patients can be treated for their symptoms for 6–12 months and persistence to the drug therapy should be encouraged.

What is the best medicine for bladder control?

Anticholinergics. These medications can calm an overactive bladder and may be helpful for urge incontinence. Examples include oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), tolterodine (Detrol), darifenacin (Enablex), fesoterodine (Toviaz), solifenacin (Vesicare) and trospium chloride.

What is the best supplement for bladder control?

Magnesium. Magnesium is important for proper muscle and nerve function. Some doctors believe better magnesium levels can reduce bladder spasms, a common cause of incontinence.

Is overactive bladder serious?

Any type of incontinence can affect your overall quality of life. If your overactive bladder symptoms cause disruption to your life, you might also have: Emotional distress or depression.

How do doctors test for overactive bladder?

Urinalysis. Taking a urine sample allows your doctor to check for conditions that can cause overactive bladder. A urinalysis looks for the presence of these substances in the urine: Bacteria or white blood cells, which could indicate a urinary tract infection or inflammation.

What over the counter medicine is good for overactive bladder?

The only over-the-counter medication approved for OAB is Oxytrol for Women (oxybutynin). It's a patch that's applied to your skin, but it should only be used by women. The best prescription OAB medications are anticholinergics and beta-3 adrenergic agonists.

Does drinking water help with overactive bladder?

Abstract. Purpose: Overactive bladder imposes a significant socioeconomic burden on the health care system. It is a commonly held belief that increased fluid intake (8 glasses of water per day) is beneficial for health. However, increased fluid intake exacerbates overactive bladder symptoms.

What foods to avoid if you have an overactive bladder?

11 Foods to Avoid if You Have OABTomato products.Coffee and tea.Chocolate.Citrus.Alcoholic drinks.Carbonated drinks.Spicy foods.Sweeteners.More items...

Can your bladder repair itself?

The bladder is a master at self-repair. When damaged by infection or injury, the organ can mend itself quickly, calling upon specialized cells in its lining to repair tissue and restore a barrier against harmful materials concentrated in urine.

What are the best medications for overactive bladder?

These drugs can be used alone or in combination, and include: Anticholinergics such as trospium (Sanctura), darifenacin (Enablex) and oxybutynin (Oxytrol, Ditrpoan) relax bladder muscles. They are the most commonly prescribed ...

How to stop a leaky bladder?

Dietary Changes: Decreasing water consumption throughout the day can help reduce leakage, as can avoiding substances that irritate the bladder, such as caffeine, fruit juices, and spicy foods. Bladder Retraining: This method uses a set schedule for urination throughout the day.

What is the cause of bladder leakage?

Overactive bladder occurs when sudden or frequent urges to urinate become hard to control, and can often lead to leakage ( urinary incontinence ). In order to best treat overactive bladder, a urologist must pinpoint the underlying cause.

Is bladder overactive a chronic problem?

Prognosis following treatment will depend on the severity of the patient's symptoms and the treatment itself. Overactive bladder is typically a chronic or long-term problem and may require ongoing treatment to control symptoms and reduce incontinence.

What is the procedure called when the bladder is overactive?

A procedure called bladder augmentation uses part of the bowel to increase bladder capacity. Another procedure implants a small device, similar to a pacemaker, under the skin.

What happens if you have an overactive bladder?

It can force you to avoid vacations, dinners out, and other social situations. You can even miss out on valuable time with family and friends because you're afraid your overactive bladder -- also called OAB -- will trigger at the wrong time and embarrass you.

How does a drug for bladder problems work?

These medications work by activating a protein receptor in bladder muscles that relaxes them and helps the bladder fill and store urine. Another type of drug for overactive bladder is the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine hydrochloride ( Tofranil ), which also relaxes bladder muscles.

How to prevent bladder leakage?

Until you get your overactive bladder under control, wearing absorbent pads can help hide any leakage that occurs. Other behavioral tips for preventing incontinence include: Avoiding drinking caffeine or a lot of fluids before activities. Not drinking fluids right before you go to bed. Drugs for Overactive Bladder.

How does bladder training help?

Bladder training helps change the way you use the bathroom. Instead of going whenever you feel the urge, you urinate at set times of the day, called scheduled voiding. You learn to control the urge to go by waiting -- for a few minutes at first, then gradually increasing to an hour or more between bathroom visits.

How to stop urination?

During these pelvic floor exercises, called Kegels, you tighten, hold, and then relax the muscles that you use to start and stop the flow of urination.

Is Oxytrol over the counter?

Oxytrol for women is the only drug available over the counter. Overall, these drugs work about the same in treating overactive bladder, and generally people tolerate all of them well. The main side effect is dry mouth, but anticholinergics also can cause constipation, blurred vision, and increased heartbeat.

What is the best treatment for an overactive bladder?

Nerve stimulation . Nerve stimulation is a relatively simple and promising treatment for an overactive bladder. This treatment may help people whose symptoms do not respond to lifestyle changes or medication. It may also be beneficial for those who experience adverse effects from the drugs.

What to do if you have an overactive bladder?

Surgery. Depending on the cause and symptoms of overactive bladder, surgery may be an option if other treatments do not help. symptoms. The choice of procedure will depend to some extent on the cause of overactive bladder, the person’s sex, and the severity of the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

What does it mean when you have an urge to urinate?

Bladder training. The urge to urinate occurs when the bladder contracts. When a person has an overactive bladder, the bladder starts to contract before it is full. A person can feel as though they need to urinate and then find that there is no urine to expel. In bladder training, a person resists the urge to urinate.

What is the disorder that causes a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate?

Outlook. Overactive bladder is a disorder that causes various symptoms, including a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate and a frequent need to go to the bathroom during both the day and the night. Some people also experience incontinence. Overactive bladder is a common condition that affects both males and females.

What are the exercises that help you urinate?

These exercises, which people often call Kegel exercises, aim to strengthen the muscles that control urination. They involve tightening, holding, and then relax ing the muscles that the body uses to urinate. People can perform these exercises anywhere, at any time, but it is best to empty the bladder first.

How to increase the size of the urethral walls?

putting a sling around part of the bladder ( sling surgery) inserting a mesh into the urethra (va ginal mesh surgery) injecting urethral bulking agents to increase the size of the urethral walls. fitting a sphincter, a ring of muscle that can help control urine flow.

Can an overactive bladder affect sleep?

It can happen at any age, but it becomes more likely as people get older. Having an overactive bladder can affect a person’s work, social life, and sleep quality. In one study, 65%. of people with an overactive bladder said that it affected their quality of life.

What is the treatment for OAB?

Nerve Stimulation. Another treatment for people who need extra help is nerve stimulation , also called neuromodulation therapy. This type of treatment sends electrical pulses to nerves that share the same path for the bladder. In OAB, the nerve signals between your bladder and brain do not communicate correctly.

Why is it important to have a bladder diary?

Having a Bladder Diary during your first visit can be helpful because it describes your daily habits, your urinary symptoms, and shows your provider how they affect your life.

How does OAB affect your life?

How OAB Can Affect Your Life. See More See Less. OAB can get in the way of your work, social life, exercise and sleep. Without treatment, OAB symptoms can make it hard to get through the day without many trips to the bathroom.

What is an OAB?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is the name for a group of urinary symptoms. It is not a disease. The most common symptom is a sudden, uncontrolled need or urge to urinate. Some people will leak urine when they feel this urge. Another symptom is the need to pass urine many times during the day and night.

How does the bladder feel when it is not full?

This forces the urine out through the urethra. The sphincter in the urethra opens and urine flows out. When your bladder is not full, the bladder is relaxed. With a healthy bladder, signals in your brain let you know that your bladder is getting full or is full, but you can wait to go to the bathroom.

What is the purpose of OAB?

In OAB, the nerve signals between your bladder and brain do not communicate correctly. These electrical pulses help the brain and the nerves to the bladder communicate so the bladder can function properly and improve OAB symptoms. There are two types: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS).

What is the tube that holds urine?

Bladder: a balloon-like muscular sac that holds urine until it’s time to go to the bathroom. Urethra: the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. The urethra has a muscle called a sphincter that locks in urine.

What does it mean when you have an overactive bladder?

What is overactive bladder? Overactive bladder is a combination of symptoms that can cause you to need to urinate more frequently, have more urgency, experience incontinence (leakage) and a need to urinate at night. One or all of these symptoms can cause considerable stress and a negative impact on your quality of life.

How to control bladder pressure?

Exercise regularly to maintain regular bowel movements. Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight can add pressure on your bladder, which may contribute to bladder control problems. If you are overweight, weight loss can reduce the pressure on your bladder.

Why does my bladder sag out?

An overactive bladder can be caused by several things, or even a combination of causes. Some possible causes can include: Weak pelvic muscles: Pregnancy and childbirth can cause your pelvic muscles ( the muscles and tissues that support the organs in your lower abdomen) to stretch and weaken. This can cause the bladder to sag out ...

What does it mean when you feel like you need to urinate?

When you feel you need to urinate, you have a limited amount of time to get to a bathroom. Frequency of urination: People who experience this symptom need to urinate very often.

How do nerves help with bladder control?

Your nerves help communicate the message that your bladder needs to be emptied to your brain. By treating the nerves, your healthcare provider can improve your bladder control. Nerve stimulation is a reversible treatment that is considered when conservative treatments have not worked or have not been tolerated.

How many times do you urinate a night?

Nocturia: This symptom is characterized by the need to get up and urinate at least two times each night.

What causes a leak in the bladder?

All of these factors can cause leakage. Nerve damage: Sometimes signals are sent to the brain and bladder to empty at the wrong time. Trauma and diseases can cause this to happen. These can include: Pelvic or back surgery. Herniated disc. Radiation. Parkinson’s disease. Multiple sclerosis.

What is the only drug that reduces bladder spasms?

Flavoxate is the only drug in this class. It’s an oral drug that reduces bladder spasms. This is an older drug. Some studies#N#Trusted Source#N#show that it doesn’t work as well as newer drugs to treat symptoms of OAB.

What is the only drug that works on the smooth muscle in the bladder?

The only drug in this class is mirabegron (Myrbetriq). It works by relaxing the smooth muscle in the walls of your bladder. This effect helps your bladder hold more urine.

Why does OAB happen?

OAB can happen for several reasons. Sometimes treating the underlying cause of your OAB can help your symptoms. For instance, neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, can cause your bladder to contract more often than it should.

How does OAB work?

This oral drug works by relaxing your bladder while also contracting the muscles at the neck of your bladder. These actions may reduce your urge to urinate. They also help control leakage and improve bladder control. Another antidepressant used to treat OAB is imipramine.

What is an OAB?

Having overactive bladder (OAB) can be uncomfortable and even painful. OAB is a set of symptoms that cause incontinence, or a loss of bladder control. Symptoms include: needing to urinate more than normal. having sudden urges to urinate. not being able to control urination. needing to urinate more than once overnight. urine leakage.

Why do women have OAB?

Some women may suffer from OAB due to weak support tissues around their bladder and urethra. If this is the cause of your OAB, your doctor may give you topical estrogen. This is a hormone the body makes naturally. Estrogen works to strengthen the muscles around the bladder, vagina, and urethra.

What to do if OAB doesn't work?

If other OAB drugs don’t work for you, or if you can’t take other OAB medications, your doctor may give you an antidepressant. These drugs are used to treat depression, but they may help relieve some OAB symptoms. The FDA has not reviewed these drugs for the treatment of OAB, so your doctor may use them off-label.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Alternative Medicine

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Pawan Katti
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Treatment involves medication to reduce pressure on the bladder, bladder training and pelvic exercises.
Medication

Antimuscarinic drug: To reduce muscle contractions.

Trospium . Solifenacin


Neurotoxins: Paralyze muscles, by decreasing nerve signals to those muscle.

Onabotulinum toxin A

Procedures

Intermittent urethral catheterization: A catheter is used periodically to empty the bladder completely.

Radical cystectomy: Removal of the complete urinary bladder or damaged parts of the urinary system.

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercise): strengthens pelvic floor muscle and urinary sphincter and stops bladders’ involuntary contractions
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Wear absorbent pads
  • Bladder training: the goal is to increase the amount of time between emptying the bladder and the amount of fluids the bladder can hold

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Foods rich in proteins such as beans, fish, chicken
  • Plenty of vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach
  • Fruits such as melon, bananas, kiwi fruit, grapes

Foods to avoid:

  • Bladder irritating foods such as caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks, chocolate, citrus juice and fruit, tomato-based products.

Specialist to consult

Geriatrician
Specializes in the care and treatment of older people.
Urologist
Specializes in the urinary tract disease.
OBGYN
Specializes in the care of women during pregnancy and childbirth and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the female reproductive organs.
Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.
Physical therapist
A health professional who helps patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility.

Coping and Support

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If you have an abnormal urge to urinate, your doctor will check to make sure that you don't have an infection or blood in your urine. Your doctor may also want to make sure that you're emptying your bladder completely when you urinate. Your doctor will look for clues that might also indicate contributing factors. Your appoi…
See more on mayoclinic.org

Preparing For Your Appointment

  • A combination of treatment strategies may be the best approach to relieve overactive bladder symptoms.
See more on mayoclinic.org

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