Overactive Bladder Syndrome

Have you ever felt the sudden urge to empty your bladder, especially at the most odd hours? Or, have you suddenly woken up from sleep just to find that you have wet the bed, or that your bladder is bursting? If you have answered either of these questions in the affirmative, then you might be suffering from overactive bladder syndrome. While the prevalence of this disorder is primarily in people over 40 years of age, there are many younger sufferers as well, due to various contributing factors. Overactive bladder syndrome, or OBS, can be rather distressing, but can easily be cured with the right treatment. Read on to find out more on overactive bladder syndrome – its causes, symptoms and treatment.

Causes Of Overactive Bladder Syndrome

Neurological complications, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease and strokes
Urinary tract infection can also to contribute to overactive bladder and urge incontinence
Tumors or other abnormalities in the bladder such as bladder cancer, stones etc
Inflammation of the prostate or prostate cancer in men
Nerve damage caused by trauma to the abdominal area or pelvis or prior surgeries
Bladder outlet obstruction due to a previous surgery for incontinence
High fluid intake, poor kidney function, or diabetes
Inflammation of tissues near the urinary tract
Factors that obstruct bladder outflow - enlarged prostate, constipation or previous operations to treat other forms of incontinence
Excess consumption of caffeine or alcohol
Side effects of medications that cause a rapid increase in urine production or require that you take them with lots of fluids

Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder Syndrome

The sufferer feels a strong, sudden, and uncontrollable urge to urinate.
The urge to urinate is followed by an involuntary loss of urine.
There is frequent urination, usually eight or more times in 24 hours.
The sufferer gets up two or more times during the night to urinate.

Treatment Of Overactive Bladder Syndrome

Keep a watch over your fluid consumption. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages if you experience incontinence, as it might worsen your problem.
Consuming a fiber rich diet might ease your problem, as most often bowel disorders like constipation are known to cause overactive bladder syndrome.
Training yourself by holding your urge for some time can benefit in the longer run. You can begin with small delays, such as 5 minutes and gradually work your way to control yourself for longer hours.
Having a definite toilet schedule might help. Fix definite hours for urinating and urinate at the same time every day, rather than when you have the urge.
Doing pelvic exercise might surely help you. A pelvic exercise like Kegel strengthens your pelvic floor muscles and urinary sphincter. A physical therapist or your doctor can help you learn how to do such exercises correctly. However, it may take as long as eight weeks before you notice a difference in your symptoms.
You can use catheter periodically, to pass urine without any discomfort. Catheters are safe and comfortable and help your bladder relieve itself on its own.
Losing weight may ease your symptoms, if you are overweight. Often weight is associated with more urgent incontinence and heavier people run a greater risk of stress urinary incontinence.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Health & Fitness'