Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder (OAB) is the most common cause of urinary incontinence in adults. OAB is estimated to affect approximately 33 million Americans1 and, for many patients, can cause medical and psychosocial problems. Although OAB is more common among the elderly, it affects people of all ages.
Risk Factors and Symptoms
OAB is a medical condition where the bladder contracts too often or too quickly. This leads to the symptoms that characterize OAB, including urinary frequency, urgency, and urge urinary incontinence, the accidental loss of urine that occurs after the strong, sudden urge to urinate.
In most patients, the precise cause of their OAB is unknown. In some patients, however, OAB can be caused by events, such as injury to the brain or spinal cord; a neurologic disease such as multiple sclerosis; or degenerative processes of aging. The bladder muscle also can become hyperactive if irritation occurs due to urinary tract infection, bladder stones or tumors.
Treatment
In most cases, OAB symptoms can be treated with appropriate therapy. Unfortunately, many of those who suffer from the condition are too embarrassed to seek help, or consider it an unavoidable aspect of aging and fail to discuss the symptoms with their doctor. Studies show that fewer than one in five patients with bladder control problems receive medical assistance or treatment.1
Primary care physicians can diagnose and treat typical OAB, but a large proportion of patients are referred to urologists or urogynecologists (specialists in gynecology and urology problems in women) for specialized care.
Often a combination of behavior modification and medication is used as first-line therapy for the symptoms of OAB. Behavior modification can include pelvic floor exercises, bladder retraining and lifestyle changes to improve bladder control, while medication, such as oral anticholinergics, are used to reduce hyperactivity of the bladder muscle.