Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a combination of urinary symptoms that may include a sudden urge to urinate, urinating frequently, and/or leaking urine if you do not make it to the bathroom in time.
More than 30 million Americans have overactive bladder. While OAB is more common as you age, it is not a normal condition at any age.
OAB Symptoms
OAB is typically characterized by five main symptoms, which may occur daily or may come and go unpredictably. You do not have to experience all the following symptoms to be diagnosed with OAB.
- Frequency. Most people normally urinate 4-7 times during the day, and at least one time at night (although this is age-dependent). People with OAB usually urinate eight (8) or more times during waking hours.
- Urgency. Feeling a sudden or unexpected urge to urinate that is difficult to control. Also described as a “gotta go right now” sensation.
- Urge Incontinence. This involves involuntary leakage after an urgent need to urinate.
- Nocturia. Waking up two or more times a night to urinate.
- Incomplete bladder emptying. The sensation of not feeling completely empty after urination.
Overactive bladder affects 40 to 50 million men and women in the U.S.
It is a chronic disease state, which means the symptoms can be managed,
but not cured.
Risk Factors for Developing OAB
- Aging
- Neurological conditions that affect the brain or spine, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more commonly associated with OAB
- In women, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, endometriosis, and abdominal surgeries can be risk factors
- Medications such as diuretics, sedatives, and antidepressants can interfere with the nerves that trigger bladder contractions
- Certain foods such as caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods can irritate the bladder and make OAB symptoms worse
- Obesity
Diagnosing OAB
Your provider will order diagnostic tests to accurately evaluate your overactive bladder symptoms to create a personalized course of treatment to manage your symptoms over time.
These evaluations may include one or more of the following tests:
- Urinalysis - A sample of urine collected to check for abnormalities in the urine.
- Uroflow - You may be asked to urinate into a device that will measure the volume and speed of urination.
- Post-Void Residual - After urinating, a quick ultrasound scan is performed to see the amount of urine that is left in the bladder.
- Ultrasound - A test that uses sound waves to visualize the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract.
- Urodynamics Study (UDS) - Tests the ability of your bladder to store and empty urine.
- Cystoscopy - A diagnostic procedure with local anesthesia (lidocaine gel) that uses a tiny camera to look at the urethra and bladder.
- Urocuff (patients with prostates only) - A small cuff on the penis that can be utilized to non-invasively and painlessly measure urine flow rate and bladder pressure, as well as aid in the diagnosis of voiding disorders.