How to treat an overactive bladder

Millions of Australians are living with an overactive bladder and failing to seek medical help, despite the many options out there.

One in six people over the age of 40 suffers from an overactive bladder (OAB) and the incidence increases with age. Contrary to popular belief, men are just as affected by it as women.

For most people, there is no known cause of their OAB. However, it is common in stroke victims, those living with Parkinson’s, or those with an enlarged prostate gland.

What does it feel like?

Many people report having a frequent, sudden urge to relieve themselves and some struggle to make it to the bathroom in time. Symptoms occur when the muscles in the bladder contract to release urine before the bladder is full.

There can be triggers that prompt your bladder to release urine all of a sudden, such as running water.

Treatments

There are numerous ways to treat OAB, including lifestyle, diet, medication and surgery. Experts say the first step should be speaking to your GP about your options.

Dietary options

Certain foods act as a diuretics, which increases urination and causes more problems for those living with OAB. Cutting out certain foods and drink can help reduce symptoms and urination throughout the day. Experts have suggested removing the following from your diet:

• carbonated beverages
• aspartame and artificial sweeteners
• cranberry juice
• spicy foods
• acidic foods such as orange juice and tomato sauce

Some people cut out liquid in the evening to try to reduce their urge to urinate throughout the night, but doctors say this can cause dehydration and do more damage in the long wrong.

Lifestyle changes

There are number of lifestyle factors that affect your bladder and making small changes can help reduce symptoms.

Weight loss – Obesity has been linked to OAB due to the pressure the extra weight places on the pelvis. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight range is known to have reduced symptoms.

Smoking – Studies have found that quitting smoking as reduced symptoms of OAB is patients.

Pelvic floor exercises – Otherwise known as kegals, these simple exercises require a person to tighten, hold and then relax the muscles used to urinate. Overtime, this builds strength in the muscles that control the bladder.

Surgical options

There are numerous surgical options for OAB including Sacral Neuromodulation (Bladder Pacemaker), which is covered by Medicare. The pacemaker corrects the messages being sent from the brain through the nervous system and into the muscles controlling the bladder to make sure they are only contracting when the bladder is full.

Some patients are eligible for an anti-spasm bladder injection, which is a minimally invasive technique that only takes 15 minutes to do. It is effective in about 70% of patients.

Major surgical procedures are also available to some patients, but are usually used as a last resort.

Drugs

There is a range of drugs available to treat OAB, but success is varied from patient to patient. Some of the most common options are:

• darifenacin
• festerodine
• oxybutinin
• solifenacin
• tolterodine
• trospium

While some patients find symptoms reduced after taking medication, others find the side effects of the drugs cause more issues and do little to diminish their OAB symptoms.

Keep a diary

The first step in finding a solution to your OAB is to begin tracking your symptoms.

Keep a diary of what you eat and drink, what time you go to the toilet, how much urine you pass each time and how strong you felt the urge to empty each time. Talk to your GP about your OAB and report the results of your tracking to them.

They will determine the best treatment going forward. When properly treated, OAB can be managed well and symptoms significantly reduced.

Do you suffer from an overactive bladder? Have you spoken to your doctor?