While the condition may not be painful, it can certainly disrupt your daily life and leave you feeling self-conscious. That said, there are a number of ways to treat an overactive bladder, and it’s one of our specialities at MetroPartners OBGYN. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the causes and treatment options for an overactive bladder.
Causes And Symptoms Of An Overactive Bladder
To understand more about the causes of an overactive bladder, we need to learn a little more about how the bladder functions. Urine is produced by the kidneys and stored in the bladder, and as your bladder fills, nerves send signals to the brain to let it know that you need to urinate. Once in the bathroom, nerve signals from the brain coordinate to relax your pelvic floor muscles and the muscles of your urethra, while the muscles of your bladder contract to help release the urine.
An overactive bladder develops when the muscles in your bladder begin to contract on their own despite the fact that the volume of urine in your bladder is low. These involuntary contractions create an urgent need to urinate even though bladder volume is low. These involuntary contractions can be caused by or associated with a number of factors, including:
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Diabetes
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Hormonal changes during menopause
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Abdominal trauma or pregnancy/childbirth
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Nerve damage
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Neurological disorders like a stroke
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Urinary tract infections
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Certain medications
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Enlarged prostate
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Cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s
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Excess caffeine or alcohol consumption
The most obvious symptom of an overactive bladder is the sensation that you need to empty your bladder, but urinary incontinence or regularly waking up during the night to go to the bathroom are also signs of an overactive bladder.
Diagnosing And Treating An Overactive Bladder
If you are dealing with any of the above symptoms, you should have a conversation with your primary care provider or women’s care provider. They’ll ask you about your symptoms and how they are affecting your daily life, and they will review your medical history and ask about any medications you are taking.
From there, they will likely order one of a few different tests to get a better understanding of your urinary system. A urinalysis can help them understand the composition of your urine and check for signs of an infection, while an ultrasound, CT scan or urodynamic testing can showcase how your bladder is functioning.
If these tests suggest that you are dealing with an overactive bladder, your doctor will go over some of the common treatment options, but your specific care plan will vary based on your underlying cause. For some people, they can regain control over their bladder with some simple lifestyle and dietary adjustments, which is why a food journal and diet changes can be so helpful. For others, switching medications can help to avoid nerve issues contributing to bladder dysfunction. If your overactive bladder is caused by pregnancy or childbirth, working with a women’s care provider or physical therapist can improve the strength of your pelvic floor muscles and strengthen your bladder function.
Some patients find that they are able to retrain their bladder and their brain to better interpret nerve signals. Bladder training oftentimes involves going to the bathroom at regular intervals and slowly working to go longer stretches without emptying your bladder. Our team would be more than happy to help set you up with a bladder retraining schedule and work with you to improve your overall bladder function.
Certain medications and nerve stimulation techniques may also prove helpful at calming an overactive bladder, but they usually aren’t the first line of treatment. Diet changes, weight loss and physical therapy are usually the first line of defense, but again this comes down to really understanding the underlying cause of your overactive bladder.
For more information about an overactive bladder, or to talk to a women’s care provider about any urinary issues that you are facing, reach out to the team at MetroPartners OGBYN today at (651) 770-3320.