Causes Of An Overactive Bladder
Usually, an overactive bladder Syndrome happens as nerve impulses between the bladder and the brain signal the discharge of the bladder even when it is not full, and the muscles of the bladder and pelvic floor are not in synchronization. When the muscles in the bladder are too active or contract when they are not supposed to, OAB may also occur, causing that sudden and powerful desire to urinate. This condition is referred to as urgency.
There are also a variety of causes to be considered such as common OAB causes that intensify the symptoms:
- Increased age, especially among females.
- Back problems/surgery.
- Diabetes and becoming overweight.
- Neurological disorders including diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, stroke, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury affect the brain and spine.
- Tumors of the bladder, stones, and parasites
- Any drugs, such as diuretics, sedatives, antidepressants.
- OAB does not cause pain. You can have an infection if you feel pain when urinating.
What Is Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a common condition that causes the affected individuals to develop a sudden urge to urinate. This urge is often difficult to control and may even result in the involuntary loss of urine. In such a situation, this condition may also be termed as urinary incontinence.
The sudden urge to urinate can occur at any time of the day. The frequency of the unpredictable urge to urinate can also have a negative effect on a persons life.
An overactive bladder isnt a disease in itself, but it represents a group of urinary symptoms. The common symptoms associated with this condition are discussed below.
Whats The Main Cause Of Overactive Bladder
When the urinary system is functioning normally, the kidneys create urine which drains into the bladder. As your bladder fills, nerves signal the brain that you need to urinate. Then, muscles in your pelvic floor and the urethra relax and muscles of the bladder contract to squeeze the urine out.
With overactive bladder, contractions of the bladder muscles occur even when theres little urine in the bladder. This causes you to feel the urgent need to urinate. People sometimes refer to this, inaccurately, as having a weak bladder and they wonder what causes a weak bladder. Its more accurate that the bladder isnt functioning properly, so overactive bladder is a better description.
What causes overactive bladder? There are several potential overactive bladder causes.
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Overactive Bladder Diet: Foods And Drinks To Manage Bladder Health
Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onOctober 31, 2016
As studies have shown, those who suffer from overactive bladder can manage their bladder health with diet adjustments. While it does take a little planning, it can bring many OAB sufferers a lot of relief.
Overactive bladder is best described as a bladder problem that leads to the sudden urge to urinate or the need to urinate frequently throughout the day and night. While volume of fluid intake can have an impact on this condition, there seems to be a lot of personal testimony suggesting the type of fluid and the kind of foods that are consumed play a very big role in the symptom flare-ups.
Statistics indicate that approximately 33 million Americans have overactive bladder, but there are likely many more people who havent reported the problem to their doctors. Part of the reason people go undiagnosed is because they are too embarrassed to talk about it or they think there is no way to treat it. Its a shame because overactive bladder can disrupt a persons work, social, and family life.
Certain foods can irritate the bladder and urinary tract. Although the impact of different foods vary from person to person, many people do find that slight adjustments to their diet or focusing on foods for bladder health are a good way to help treat OAB.
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What Can I Take Over
The drug oxybutynin may be used to treat OAB. It is available over-the-counter in patch form, which delivers 3.9 mg of oxybutynin daily through your skin. However, the over-the-counter patch is only available to women. Men may take oxybutynin in patch or oral form, but they need a prescription for it.
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Does Bladder Inflammation Go Away
Although the symptoms of interstitial cystitis may improve over time, there is no cure for the condition. The following are some of the treatments: Caffeinated drinks, tobacco, citrus fruits, spicy foods, and chocolate are only a couple of the foods that some people find aggravate their interstitial cystitis.
Is Magnesium Good For Overactive Bladder
Magnesium
Magnesium plays an important role in many functions in our bodies including proper muscle and nerve functions. Doctors also believe it also plays a more direct role in improving occasional incontinence by reducing bladder muscle spasms and enabling the bladder to fully empty upon urination.
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Drink More Not Less For Oab
During the heat of summer, it is important to stay hydrated. But for those with an overactive bladder , it may be tempting to skip the eight glasses of water in hopes of keeping trips to the bathroom to a minimum.
But, in fact, limiting fluid intake can cause distress on the bladder and worsen OAB symptoms in addition to causing health problems related to dehydration.
The symptoms of an overactive bladder feeling an urgency to urinate frequently are quite common. Studies show that about 33 million Americans suffer from the disorder.
Symptoms include:
An uncontrollable need to urinate
Frequent urination during the day as well as at night
The leakage of urine with the patient cant reach the bathroom in time.
But you dont have to suffer in silence. A visit to a urologist can provide a variety of possible treatments. Your doctor can evaluate your condition and help you determine if lifestyle changes or a medical treatment would be the best course of action.
Many OAB sufferers can help control the condition by making some simple lifestyle changes such as dietary adjustments, including cutting down on bladder irritants like caffeinated drinks, alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes, citrus and spicy foods. Eating a diet high in fiber can minimize constipation, which aggravates OAB. Women with OAB may also experience improvement after performing pelvic floor exercises.
So drink up water, that is and speak up. Help can be just a call away.
What Is Distended Bladder
Term used to refer to urinary retention in the bladder due to its incapacity to void normally. It may occur because there is an obstruction or a loss of tone in the bladder muscles that fail to detect increased pressure exerted by urine. It is usually associated with pain and urge to urinate.
- Frequent urination: You may feel the need to urinate more often.
- Pain/ burning with urination: During an infection, you may experience discomfort in pain in the suprapubic area and burning during urination.
- Dark or foul-smelling pee.
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What Vitamin Helps With Bladder Control
Vitamin C found in foods.
A study done on vitamin c intake in 2060 women, aged 30-79 years of age found that high-dose intake of vitamin c and calcium were positively associated with urinary storage or incontinence, whereas vitamin C from foods and beverages were associated with decreased urinary urgency.
Foods To Avoid If You Have Oab
Doctors have identified a number of foods and drinks that can worsen overactive bladders, including:
- Caffeinated beverages and foods
- Sugar or honey
- Artificial sweeteners
When these foods and drinks collect in the bladder, it can cause irritation resulting in bladder muscle spasms. Those spasms can create the sudden urge to urinate and increase your frequency of urination. Because each person will react differently to trigger foods coffee might bother one person, while dairy can be problematic for someone else doctors suggest keep a food journal so you can see which foods affect you the most.
But there are certain beverages that are known to cause repeat trips to the bathroom. Even a moderate amount of alcohol, coffee, tea, or soda will increase the amount of urine your bladder must manage. Research published in September 2016 in the journal Current Urology showed nearly one-half of people over the age of 60 who drink more than 300 mg coffee a day suffer from overactive bladder symptoms, which is significantly higher than peers who do not consume large amounts of caffeine.
Also, chemicals in cigarettes have been shown to irritate the bladder and increase the risk of bladder cancer. Smoking can cause coughing spasms that increase problems with stress incontinence. The American Cancer Society offers extensive resources on quitting, noting smokers are at least 3 times more likely to get bladder cancer compared with nonsmokers.
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What Are The Specific Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder represents a collection of symptoms that can include:
- Urinary urgency: This is a failure to be able to postpone the need to urinate. When you feel you need to urinate, you have a limited amount of time to get to a bathroom.
- Frequency of urination: People who experience this symptom need to urinate very often. Typically its an increase in the number of times you urinate compared to what you previously experienced.
- Urge incontinence: In this case, there can be a leakage of urine when you get the urge to urinate.
- Nocturia: This symptom is characterized by the need to get up and urinate at least two times each night.
Lifestyle Changes For Bladder Health
Tension, diet, and being overweight can all contribute to urinary incontinence. The good news is that you can do something about all three:
- Eat more vegetables and fiber. Fiber helps you avoid constipation, which may help reduce pressure on your bladder.
- Reduce tension. Tense situations can make you to feel as if you need to pee. Deep breathing exercises are one of the tools that can ease tension.
- Exercise. If you’re overweight, losing weight will keep extra pounds from adding to the pressure on your bladder. Exercise may aggravate stress incontinence, though.
- Use good posture when you urinate. Sit back on the toilet. Donât lean forward, since this may put unwanted stress on the urethra and bladder.
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Does Azo Really Work For Overactive Bladder
Will azo help with frequent urination?
Phenazopyridine is a medicine that’s used to relieve symptoms of a urinary tract infection , which may include burning, pain, irritation, frequent urination, and an increased urge to urinate.
Can overactive bladder go away on its own?
More often than not, OAB is a chronic condition it can get better, but it may not ever go away completely. To start with, doctors often recommend exercises such as Kegels to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and give you more control over your urine flow.
What really works for overactive bladder?
Medications that relax the bladder can be helpful for relieving symptoms of overactive bladder and reducing episodes of urge incontinence. These drugs include: Tolterodine Oxybutynin, which can be taken as a pill or used as a skin patch or gel
Overactive Bladder In Women
Women are more likely to report symptoms of OAB to their doctor. In fact, at least 40 percent of American women experience symptoms of overactive bladder. Many more may not report the experiences to their doctor at all.
Overactive bladder consists of a series of symptoms that cause you to need to urinate more frequently. These symptoms include
- feeling a sudden need to urinate
- not being able to control urination
- urinating at least two times every night
- urinating at least eight times every day
Its not clear what causes overactive bladder, but OAB becomes more common in women after menopause. That may be the result of estrogen deficiency. However, overactive bladder can occur at any age.
Overactive bladder is a common childhood condition, but not every accident or soiled bed is the result of OAB. Children frequently grow out of overactive bladder symptoms, but treatment can help prevent frequent urination or complications.
Symptoms of OAB in children include:
- an urgent or frequent need to urinate
- accidents or leaking urine
- urinating more than eight times in a day
- not feeling as if theyve emptied their bladder despite urinating
Symptoms of OAB become less common as children get older. With age, kids learn to properly control their bladder and recognize signals that they need to urinate. If symptoms of overactive bladder dont seem to be resolving or are getting worse, talk with your childs doctor.
Causes of OAB in children include:
- urinary tract infection
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What Is The Home Remedy For Frequent Urination
To do Kegel exercises:Try stopping your urine mid-stream when going. The muscles you use are pelvic floor muscles. Focus on tightening those muscles when you have an empty bladder. Breathe normally when doing these exercises.Avoid squeezing your stomach, thighs, or buttocks instead of your pelvic floor muscles.
Drink Enough To Stay Hydrated
This will vary from person to person, but for most, 6-88oz glasses per day is enough. You can also look to your own urine for clues on if you are well-hydrated in general, lighter colored urine means your more hydrated and darker, yellow colored urine means your urine is very concentrated and you may need to drink more.
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Wine: Good Or Bad For Oab
Wine can trigger a leaky bladder for two reasons.
- Alcohol is a diuretic that will start an increase of urine production leading to more trips to the bathroom.
- Red wine has more tannins in it giving it a darker color. Tannins are found in fruit skins that add both bitterness and astringency. Unfortunately, these tasty chemical compounds are bladder irritants and cause OAB patients to have discomfort.
Oab: Drinks That May Increase The Urge To Go
One of the biggest OAB culprits iscaffeine, which can make you urinate more. Studies show that reducing caffeine intake to below 100 milligrams per day — the amount in one cup of drip coffee — may help reduce urge incontinence symptoms.
Cut down or cut out these problem beverages:
- Caffeinated drinks such as coffee, colas, energy drinks, and teas
- Acidic fruit juices, especially orange, grapefruit, and tomato
- Carbonated beverages, sodas, or seltzers
- Drinks with artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin, which may irritate the bladder
If you can’t imagine starting your day without a morning cup of coffee, try to lower the amount of caffeine you take in. Make a cup that’s half decaf and half regular. You may want to wean yourself gradually to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches.
For fruit juice, try switching to something with less acid, such as apple or pear juice, and dilute it with water.
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What Foods And Drinks To Avoid
While you may want to drink less liquid so you dont have to urinate as often, you should still make sure you stay hydrated. More concentrated urine, usually darker in color, can irritate your bladder and cause more frequent urination.
Other foods and drinks can contribute to OAB symptoms, including:
- alcohol
- tea
- tomato-based foods
You can test which drinks or foods irritate your bladder by eliminating them from your diet. Then reincorporate them one by one every two to three days at a time. Permanently eliminate the particular food or drink that worsens your symptoms.
Cautions With Other Medicines
Some medicines and tolterodine can affect each other. This can increase the chance of side effects.
Tell your doctor if you’re taking:
- antibiotics like erythromycin or clarithromycin
- ketoconazole or itraconazole, which are used to treat fungal infections
- medicines used to treat HIV
- metoclopramide, used to increase how quickly you digest food
- amiodarone, sotalol, quinidine or procainamide, which are used to treat irregular heartbeats
- other medicines that work in a similar way to tolterodine, such as amantadine
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What Causes An Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a condition that causes the sudden and frequent need to urinate. People with overactive bladders feel the need to urinate many times throughout the day and at night as many as eight times per day and twice at night. This urge may be hard to control and can result in whats called urgency incontinence the unintentional release of urine.
Overactive bladder can be frustrating and embarrassing. If you have the condition, you may start to avoid social functions or situations where a bathroom may be hard to find. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to get control of your overactive bladder.
More Natural Ways To Manage Your Overactive Bladder
1. Control Your Weight
One way to take stress of your bladder is to lose some weight. The Mayo Clinic has discussed the idea that those who are overweight have a bigger risk of developing stress incontinence. Stress incontinence happens when a person loses control of their urine during physical activity. This is from their having weakened pelvic muscles. This can happen during coughing, laughing or working out. Women most commonly suffer from this type of incontinence.
2. Have Bladder Training
This is the most popular OAB treatment that doesnt use medication. Bladder training will affect the way you use the bathroom. Instead of going whenever you feel you need to, you go at set times during the day. This is called scheduled voiding and it can help you learn to control the urge to go. You start by waiting a few minutes before going and then increase to an hour between visits and further from there.
3. Do Pelvic Floor Exercises
4. Try Acupuncture
Acupuncture is another natural treatment for OAB. A study of 20 subjects spanned over ten weeks. Each received 30 minutes of acupuncture in targeted points. With the study, over 75% of those with IDI, or Idiopathic Detrusor Instability, were cured of symptoms. IDI is a common cause of urinary tract storage trouble such as urge incontinence, frequency and urgency.
5. Stop Smoking
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