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Overactive Bladder

This handout will tell you about the signs and symptoms of an overactive bladder and the treatment options.

Symptoms

Overactive bladder is the name for a group of urinary symptoms. Symptoms could include

  • A sudden urge to urinate

  • Frequent urination

  • Increased night urination

  • Leaking urine before getting to the bathroom

Overactive bladder symptoms happen when your bladder begins to contract before it is full. This leads to a strong urge to urinate. Sometimes urine may come out.

Treatments

You can discuss treatment options such as lifestyle changes and medicines in more detail with your doctor. Lifestyle changes include:

  • Diet changes: Limit the foods and drinks listed below that irritate the bladder:

    • Coffee/Caffeine

    • Tea

    • Alcohol

    • Some citrus fruit

    • Tomato-based foods

    • Chocolate

    • Spicy foods

  • Timed voiding: Go to the bathroom on a schedule instead of waiting for an urge to urinate. The goal is to prevent the urgent feeling and to regain control.

  • Physical therapy (PT): Pelvic floor PT/pelvic muscle exercises.

  • Manage constipation: Constipation can make OAB symptoms worse.

Medicine

Medicine can help relax an overactive bladder muscle and allow your bladder to hold more volume. There are many options that your doctor can discuss with you. The most common side effects of these medicines are dry mouth and constipation.


Procedural Treatments

If lifestyle changes and medicine do not help control your OAB symptoms, you might try:

  • Bladder Botox treatments: Botox works by relaxing the bladder muscle. This helps reduce the muscle from squeezing too often. Your doctor will use a cystoscope to inject tiny amounts of Botox into different areas of the bladder muscle. The effects of the Botox will last 4-6 months. You will need to repeat the treatment.

  • Nerve stimulation: These treatments send gentle electrical pulses to the nerves. This controls your bladder. In OAB, the nerve signals between your brain and your bladder are not working properly. The stimulation of the nerves with electrical pulses help coordinate the signals. This will improve bladder function.

Who to Call

Urology Clinic
Monday-Friday, 8 am – 4:30 pm
608-263-4757 or 1-800-323-8942