Overview
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a combination of symptoms that can cause a person to urinate more frequently, have more urgency, experience incontinence (leakage), and a need to urinate at night. OAB can get in the way of a person’s work, social life, exercise and sleep. Without treatment, OAB symptoms can make it difficult to get through the day without many trips to the bathroom. Living with OAB can cause considerable stress and a negative impact on one’s quality of life.
Symptoms
Symptoms of an overactive bladder include:
- Urinary urgency
- Frequency of urination
- Urge incontinence (leakage of urine)
- Nocturia (the need to get up and urinate at least two times each night)
Causes
An overactive bladder can be caused by several things, such as:
- Pelvic muscle weakness or spasms
- Neurologic disorders or damage
- Medications
- Infection
- Hormonal changes
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
Diagnosis
A doctor will collect a thorough medical history and ask questions about the person’s symptoms and then perform a physical examination. The need for tests depends on what the doctor finds during the history and physical examination. Some testing that may be done includes:
- Urine test
- Bladder scan
- Cystoscopy or urodynamic testing
Treatment
The treatment for an overactive bladder is largely dependent on the cause. Your doctor will create a treatment plan based on your health history and symptoms. Treatment may include:
- Lifestyle changes
- Medications
- Nerve stimulation
- Bladder botox treatments
- Urinary diversion surgery
