What is Overactive Bladder?
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common medical condition where the bladder muscle
(detrusor) contracts too often or spontaneously and involuntarily. You may feel the need to pass urine more frequently and/or urgently than is necessary and some may also experience incontinence. What Causes Overactive Bladder?
It is not always easy to identify a common feature responsible for bladder over-activity, however the following are possible causes:
Urinary tract infection – a bacterial infection of the bladder/kidneys.
Outflow obstruction - men with benign prostatic obstruction may complain of symptoms of overactive bladder.
Neurogenic - those with conditions such as Parkinsons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis or those who have suffered a stroke may also develop overactive bladder.
Medicines - some medications may be associated with overactive bladder. These include diuretics, phenothiazides, opioids.
Alcohol/caffeinated beverages - can increase symptoms of OAB.
What Are The Main Symptoms of Overactive Bladder?
You may have some or all of these symptoms:
Frequency - The need to pass urine more than 8 times during the day.
Nocturia - The need to get out of bed at night to pass urine more than once.
Nocturnal Enuresis - Urinating during sleep.
Urgency - The sudden need to pass urine before reaching a toilet.
Coital incontinence - Leaking urine during sex.
How common is OAB?
Overactive bladder can affect women, men and children of any age. Sufferers are predominately adult women with adult men coming a close second. In two large studies it was found that approximately one in six adults reported some symptoms of an