Overactive Bladder - How To Tackle It?

An overactive bladder is marked by problems with one’s bladder storage system that results in a sudden urge to urinate. Involuntary and leakage of urine is also a possibility in such a case.

The problem of an overactive bladder arises when the muscles of the bladder contract involuntarily. The conditions contributing to the overactive bladder are:

1. Acute infections in the urinary tract
2. Abnormalities in the bladder, for instance, bladder stones or tumors
3. Factors hindering bladder outflow such as constipation, enlarged prostate or earlier treatments for incontinence (loss of bladder control)
4. Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine
5. Decline in one’s cognitive abilities due to factors such as ageing, thus making it hard for the bladder to comprehend the signals it gets from the brain
6. Incomplete emptying of the bladder, leaving only a little storage space for the urine
7. Constipation
8. Neurological disorders
9. Excessive production of urine due to diabetes, poor kidney function or excessive fluid intake
10. Medications that increase urine production by the bladder

How it can be treated?

1. Behavioral interventions help to manage overactive bladder effectively and without side-effects. They include-
   • Pelvic floor muscle training to inhibit such involuntary contractions
   • Maintaining a healthy weight
   • Regulating fluid consumption
   • Planning a schedule for trips to the toilet
   • Employing a catheter to empty the bladder entirely
2. Medications to alleviate the symptoms of incontinence and overactive bladder are -
   • Mirabegron
   • Darifenacin
   • Solifenacin
   • Trospium
   • Oxybutynin gel
   • Oxybutynin as a skin patch
   • Tolterodine
3. Injecting small doses of Botox (Botulinum toxin), directly into the bladder tissues to partially paralyze the bladder muscles, thus delaying urination.
4. Surgery to magnify bladder capacity
5. However, it is a must that you seek the guidance of a urologist on immediate basis.