?Some Facts about Overactive Bladders (OAB)
?Some Facts about Overactive Bladders (OAB)
Overactive bladder takes place when “the bladder muscles contract while urine is collecting, rather than when the bladder is full and needs to be emptied.” An overactive bladder often causes a person to suddenly feel as if they have to urinate and this can happen frequently throughout the course of a day or night. Overactive bladder is very similar to urge incontinence and some doctors use the terms interchangeably.
Some individuals seem to possess a genetic predisposition to develop overactive bladder, according to the American Urology Association. The problem of overactive bladder affects twice as many males as females although other forms of bladder problems are very common in women. Overactive bladder can be found in 30 to 40 percent of seniors over the age of 75 years and it is believed to be more widespread in the elderly community than is diabetes and is on the scale with the number of seniors who suffer from asthma and other respiratory related illnesses. Suffering from OAB often negatively affects the quality of life of any given individual even more so than does having diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
Overactive bladder can sometimes come about as a result of taking specific types of medication. It can also come about as a symptom of a more serious health problem such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease. It is important to bear in mind that both urgent urination as well as the need to urinate frequently can also be symptoms of other health problems besides overactive bladder, such as a bladder infection or bladder cancer. If you develop any of these symptoms always schedule a visit to your doctor for a physical exam and diagnostic tests if they are necessary. From there, a doctor can decide upon an appropriate course of treatment for your problem.
Many people who suffer from an overactive bladder find themselves withdrawing from a great deal of social interaction as a result of their problem. It is embarrassing and therefore, they spend more and more time at home and less with other people in a social manner. If a person with OAB knows that a social event is taking place somewhere that there is not easy access to toilets (such as an outdoor event) they are less inclined to attend. In desiring to attend social functions, a person with OAB develops a behavior known as “toilet mapping” which means to prepare and plan ahead to find toilets for public use everywhere they go. Not being able to toilet map or to find available toilets can easily become a source of anxiety and frustration to the person in question.
It is wrong to assume that developing an overactive bladder is simply a consequence of aging as it is not necessarily. Often OAB is the consequence of another health condition. It is important to seek treatment from a qualified healthcare provider if you find yourself suddenly having to urinate more often than you ever had to before.
An overactive bladder can usually be managed relatively well and a doctor may prescribe one or more methods to treat the condition. A doctor might prescribe a type of drug that makes it difficult for the muscles of the bladder to contract unless the bladder is completely full. Behavior modification is also sometimes employed as in the case of cutting back on your intake of alcohol and caffeine, quitting the cigarette habit, losing weight if it is required and timing and regulating how much water and other fluids you take in. Sometimes in conjunction with thee other options a doctor might recommend that a patient start doing Kegel exercise, which are exercises that help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
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