An overactive bladder can be an embarrassing condition for many. One, however, should not be embarrassed because now there are plenty of treatment options for overactive bladder. Overactive bladder or OAB is a common condition that triggers a sudden and often frequent urge to go to the toilet and it is hard to control. When one suffers from an overactive bladder, they may feel that they have to pass urine multiple times throughout the night and day.

Naturally, therefore, one is likely to feel ashamed because of this condition and they may isolate themselves, restrict socializing, and going to work. But one has to understand that a short exam is enough to detect the condition for such OAB symptoms. Symptoms can then be effectively managed using easy behavioral strategies, like changes in the diet, bladder-holding exercises, and even surgery, if needed.

Different treatment options for overactive bladder?
Pelvic floor workouts and bladder training are two of the natural treatment options for overactive bladder. These do not involve the use of medications and are highly effective for females as they have zero side-effects.

• The Kegel exercises will help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles; once strengthened these can prevent the bladder’s involuntary contractions. One can get a physical therapist or doctor to show them these exercises so that they can do them correctly.
• In Biofeedback, one is attached to electrical sensors. These will measure and get information regarding the patient’s body and teach them how they can make small changes like strengthening the pelvic muscles whenever they feel an urgency to urinate.
• Maintaining an optimal weight is important to tackle this problem.
• One must follow scheduled toilet trips, for instance, after every 2-3 hours. This gets them into a routine to go to the toilet exactly at the same time each day instead of waiting for the urge.
• Absorbent pads or undergarments help to protect one’s clothes that they don’t get soiled because of this condition. It avoids such embarrassing incidents and one never has to limit their activities because of an OAB.
• Bladder training is an effective method among treatment options for overactive bladder. It involves training oneself to postpone voiding whenever one feels an urge. So, one should start with small delays and then keep increasing the gaps.
• Intermittent catheterization helps to an extent but one must consult a doctor for this. When they fail to properly empty their bladder, they can use catheters to do that.
• Post menopause, one can get a vaginal estrogen therapy for strengthening tissues and muscles in the vagina and urethra. The vaginal estrogen is available in the form of tablets, creams, rings, suppository, etc.
• One will also find medicines for bladder relaxation that help to cut down episodes of incontinence, such as Detrol, Gelnique, Ditropan XL, Vesicare, Enablex, Toviaz, etc. Side-effects of such medications include dry mouth and dry eyes.
• Bladder injections like Botox which when injected into bladder tissues directly can relax the muscles. This has been seen to be helpful for acute urge incontinence. Side-effects are UTIs and urine retention.
• Implanted nerve stimulation devices can improve symptoms by regulating nerve impulses to the bladder.