Search Here

People who always have the urge to pee and have a hard time controlling it may have a urinary condition. Awareness of the overactive bladder symptoms and treatment is important as over 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men in the US are affected by it.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition of urinary symptoms that include urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urge urinary incontinence (UUI). Many adults around the world are affected by this condition but not all of them are reported, according to the Medical News Today.

Overactive Bladder Symptoms and Treatment

People with OAB usually feel the urge to pee uncontrollably even though the bladder is not full, which is referred to as urinary urgency. When this occurs, the person will have a hard time controlling to urinate which can sometimes lead to UUI which is urine leakage.

There is also a high amount of time, referred to as urine frequency, for the person to urinate throughout the day and night even when there is no high intake of liquids. Additionally, some people with an overactive bladder also experience bed-wetting.

OAB does not have one single cause. It consists of a series of factors that contribute to the condition.

Most of the causes of OAB include giving birth for women, weakened pelvic and bladder muscles, use of a catheter and enlarged prostate. Diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke and multiple sclerosis are also common causes.

While the chance of developing overactive bladder increases with age, it can affect anyone at any age. But for most cases, low estrogen levels, especially following menopause, are found to be one of the causes.

Meanwhile, risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, pregnancy, both dehydration and overhydration, and medications with a high fluid intake. Those with frequent or chronic urinary tract infection (UTI) are high risks too.

Those with overactive bladder can be treated with medication and minimally invasive operations. The first line of treatment for the condition is more or less the same with the ways to prevent it, which are mainly lifestyle changes.

Overactive bladder can be prevented and treated by maintaining a healthy weight, being hydrated (but not overhydrated), treating present conditions that increase risks and regular exercise. More research is still being done to understand better the overactive bladder symptoms and treatment like, for instance, its link to possible nerve damage.