Overactive
Bladder
The bladder is a part of your body's urinary system. Every time you
eat and drink, your body absorbs liquids. Your kidneys then filter out
the waste products from your body's fluids and make urine, which is
stored in your bladder. The bladder expands as it fills with urine,
and contracts to empty.
Both your brain and your muscles are involved in urinating. When the
bladder is full, nerves in your bladder signal the brain. That's when
you get the need "to go". Once you reach the toilet, your brain sends
a message to the large bladder muscle (the detrusor) to squeeze, or
contract. At the same time, your brain tells the sphincter muscles that
surround the tube that releases urine from the bladder (your urethra)
to relax and let the urine through.
Normally, the bladder muscle is relaxed during filling and the muscles
only contract when the bladder is emptying. "Bladder control" means
you urinate only when you want to.
An Overactive Bladder (OAB) is caused when the bladder muscle contracts
involuntarily. This may result in feelings of urgently having to go
to the bathroom - even when the bladder isn't full - as well as making
frequent trips to the bathroom. In some instances, accidental leakage
of urine occurs.
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Symptoms Of An Overactive Bladder
- Strong, sudden urges to go to the bathroom
- Increased frequency of urination (more than eight times
during a 24-hour period, often including two or more times
at night)
- Wetting accidents due to a sudden urge to urinate (urinary
incontinence)
An estimated 1 in 5 Canadians over the age of 35 share these
problems. While there is no consensus on all the different
causes of OAB, one thing is certain: OAB is not normal in
adults of any age, and you don't have to live with it. Most
OAB can be successfully treated.6 Doctors treat thousands
of people with OAB every year.
Loss of bladder control is given many different names, including
urinary incontinence, "leaking", and having an Overactive
Bladder. These are all medical conditions that prevent you
from being able to control when you urinate. However, Overactive
Bladder, or OAB, specifically refers to urgency and frequency
and is not always linked with leakage.
Ongoing bladder control problems can occur when the bladder
and sphincter muscles don't function properly. They may be
either too weak or too active. Problems may also occur when
the nervous system does not work properly due to disease or
injury.
Overactive Bladder usually causes one or more of the following
symptoms:
Urgency - a sudden strong urge to urinate with little
or no chance to postpone the urination.
Frequency - the need to urinate more than 8 times over
24 hours
Nocturia - waking up to urinate 2 or more times a night
Urge urinary incontinence - involuntary loss of a significant
amount of urine
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Canadian surveys of OAB sufferers indicate that women
are more likely to experience OAB than men. It is important to know
that OAB is not normal at any age. Overactive Bladder is an ongoing
condition that is treatable. See your doctor to determine the best
treatment options for you. Treatment of Overactive Bladder may include
pelvic floor muscle exercises, bladder retraining, biofeedback, dietary
changes, medications and surgery. Combining two or more of these treatment
options may provide the best improvement.
Some bladder control problems happen when you develop
a urinary tract or vaginal infection. Others are a result of medications
or a hormone imbalance. These are usually temporary. Ongoing bladder
control problems can occur when the bladder and sphincter muscles
don't function properly. They may be either too weak or too active.
Problems may also occur when the nervous system does not work properly
due to disease or injury.
Some people suffering from OAB experience a profound effect on their
lives. Urge urinary incontinence can be associated with emotional
problems, reduced social and recreational activity and sexual dysfunction.
People have reported many ways that Overactive Bladder may be interrupting
or limiting their everyday life. Some of the most common are:
- Impact on Daily Activities
- Makes it more difficult to do things
- Makes it more difficult to do work
- Makes it difficult to get a good night's sleep
- Has a negative effect on sex life
- Every trip away from home has to be planned
- Impact on Emotions
- Can be very stressful
- Can make it uncomfortable being with people you don't know well
- Creates concern about the potential of having an embarrassing accident
- Creates concern about doing things away from home
There may be other ways that an Overactive Bladder has changed your
behavior and affected the way you view yourself. You may even have
modified your activities because of your OAB. Or, maybe you're reasonably
satisfied with the way you've adapted your life around your symptoms
by wearing pads, avoiding sports and changing routines. It may be
difficult to acknowledge that an Overactive Bladder affects so many
aspects of your life as well as the lives of those around you. But
accepting these facts can help you move toward taking action.
Doctors treat thousands of patients suffering from OAB every year.
You owe it to yourself to see if treatment may help you return to
a more normal life - and help relieve the anxiety, embarrassment,
and isolation that may result from the symptoms of an Overactive Bladder.
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