If you urinate often and cravings are urgent and difficult to delay, you may have an overactive bladder (or overactive bladder). Learn more about the subject in 5 quick points.
What is the overactive bladder?
This is a chronic medical condition that results in decreased bladder control (not to be confused with urinary incontinence which is defined as involuntary urine loss), in the absence of urinary tract infection or other Pathologies. An overactive bladder contracts unintentionally, before being completely full, and causes sudden and uncomfortable urges to urinate, which can occur day or night.
Symptoms
Overactive bladder causes symptoms that can be uncomfortable:
The urge to urinate
Need to urinate more than eight times in a 24-hour period
need to urinate at night (twice or more)
accidental loss of urine, also known as “emergency urinary incontinence”;
urinary leakage which, although a different medical condition, may be a symptom of the overactive bladder.
Risk factors
Among the most common risk factors associated with overactive bladder are:
- urinary tract infections
- Side effects of certain medications
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Obesity
- smoking.
Note that there are other less common risk factors such as spinal cord injury, neurological diseases (such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis), stroke or prostate surgery ( humans).
Lifestyle modification treatment
Changing daily lifestyles is the first step in treatment, as it carries little risk of side effects and is often an effective way to relieve symptoms of overactive bladder:
drink enough, but in small amounts at a time, so as not to overload the bladder;
Reduce your fluid intake after 6 p.m., if you tend to urinate at night
Limit caffeinated products, alcohol and citrus juices that tend to irritate the bladder and increase the frequency of urges to urinate;
practice bladder rehabilitation, including keeping a diary of urination (urinating) and setting a timetable for urinating;
Incorporate muscle rehabilitation exercises such as Kegel exercises (pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercises).
Medication treatments
These treatments usually consist of a class of medications called antimuscarinic agents. They prevent the bladder muscle from contracting too early. Thus, the bladder can fill up completely and the frequency of urgent urges to urinate decreases.
The beneficial effects of this treatment can be felt more or less quickly (a few days… a few weeks after taking), so be patient!
Also, these medications can cause side effects, such as dry mouth, constipation, and dizziness. If this is your case and you are bothered by these effects, it is important to discuss this with your pharmacist or doctor. Solutions may be considered.
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