Overactive bladder makes the patient urinate a lot more frequently, have more urgency, experience urinary incontinence (leakage of urine), and also a requirement to urinate at night. The patient needs to get up several times during the night to urinate. One or all of these symptoms can cause a negative effect on the patient’s lifestyle.  

Signs And Symptoms of Overactive Bladder

• Frequent and Sudden urge to urinate

• You need to go to the washroom more often

• Your sleep gets disturbed because of this

• Urine leaks if you are unable to reach the washroom on time

• You are afraid of going too far from the restroom and from your home as well

• It can disrupt your rest as well as your sex life.

Why Does Overactive Bladder Occur?

The bladder can become overactive due to any type of neurological or muscular disorder as well. The most common causes of overactive bladder are –  

• Hormonal Imbalance

• Weakness or tightness of Pelvic muscles 

• A urinary system infection or UTI

• Adverse effects from a drug

• Conditions that affect the brain or spine, like stroke and also multiple sclerosis, etc.

How can Overactive Bladder be diagnosed?

• Symptoms and patient history are some of the most obvious signs of overactive bladder. After listening to the patient, Dr Atul Jain believes in getting a few diagnostic tests to determine the underlying cause. 

• Urine examination to test for infection

• Blood Tests

• Ultrasound of the Bladder area shows how much urine remains in the bladder after voiding.

• Cystoscopy may or may not be required.

Treatment of Overactive Bladder 

• Lifestyle Modification – Limit food and beverages (caffeine-rich) that may irritate the bladder lining. Avoid Coffee, soft drinks, alcohol, etc. You can add fiber to your diet to enhance digestion. You are advised to maintain a bladder diary to find out which food or beverages increase the frequency to urinate and increase the urge to urinate as well.

• Medications – There are a number of medicines that can help relax the bladder muscle. These medicines, like Tolterodine, Oxybutynin, can be taken as a tablet or can be applied as a topical gel. Medications are very helpful along with behavioral therapy in mild to moderate cases of overactive bladder. 

• Bladder Behavioral Therapy – In this type of treatment, a couple of techniques are instructed to the patient for much better bladder control. These varieties vary from double voiding (whenever you have urinated, try to do it again after a minute or so), delayed voiding (try to control your urination, it is best to perform this while you have reached the bathroom to avoid any accidents) or urination on schedule, etc

• Pelvic flooring Muscle Exercises like Kegels as well as other biofeedback approaches are also performed to treat the overactive bladder.

• Urine Absorbing pads – Wearing absorptive pads or undergarments can secure your apparel as well as aid in preventing any humiliating episodes. Absorptive garments come in a selection of sizes and also absorbency degrees as per the extent of your problem.

• Keeping a Healthy Weight – If you’re overweight, reducing weight might alleviate signs. 

• Botox Treatment for Overactive Bladder – Botox helps the bladder by loosening up the muscular tissue of the bladder wall to minimize the symptoms. It can help the bladder muscles from squeezing too much and it relaxes them as well. Botox is administered with the help of a cystoscope that enters the bladder via the urinary opening. Then, little quantities of botulinum toxin or botox are injected right into the bladder muscle. This treatment is executed in the south Delhi Urology Clinic with regional anesthesia. The temporary results normally last 6 months or more, yet repeat injections are essential.

• Nerve Stimulation – This kind of therapy sends out electrical pulses to nerves that share the same path for the bladder. These electrical pulses help the mind as well as the nerves to interact with each other in a better way. So that the overactive bladder signs and symptoms improve. It can be of two kinds, Percutaneous tibial nerve (PTNS) and Sacral neuromodulation (SNS). This minimally invasive treatment is usually done with a short-term cord implanted under the skin in your ankle or in your lower back.

• Bladder Reconstruction/Urinary Diversion Surgery For Overactive Bladder– Surgery is just used in extremely rare and severe cases. There are two types of surgeries. Augmentation cystoplasty increases the size of the bladder. Urinary diversion re-routs the urine circulation. Another option is the removal of the old bladder and new bladder creation (neobladder). 

If you want to know more about the surgical treatment or want to book an appointment with Dr Atul Jain for overactive bladder treatment, then book a Clinic appointment here.