Coping Methods And Quality Of Life Issues
Most women visit their physicians without hesita-tion forsuch conditions as urinary tract infections , vaginal fungalinfections, and birth control. However, for some inexplicable reason, alarge number of those suffering from OAB postpone a medical appointment,many for as long as 6 or 7 years.4 During this time, theyemploy a variety of coping mechanisms of dubious efficacy andquestionable safety. For instance, the use of absorbent pads ispartially effective, but increases the risk of a UTI.4 Somewomen also take great pains to ascertain the location of all bathroomsin advance of an attack of OAB, a behavior known as toilet mapping.4
Women with symptoms of OAB may reduce the extent ofactivities they once found pleasurable, such as movies, walks, tennis,golf, or visiting with friends. They may voluntarily reduce fluidintake, which can lead to dehydration. They may feel forced to wearclothing that would conceal a urine leak, and only sit on furniture thatwould not be permanently stained if a leak were to occur. It becomesapparent that OAB can cause constant concern due to fear of an accidentand also the perception that odor from underclothing or absorbent padsmight be detected by others. If a patient feels forced to lead a moresedentary lifestyle, she may experience greater medical andpsychological problems.
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Reclining Bound Angle Posev
Also referred to as Supta Baddha Konasana, it is a classic restorative Yoga pose that can work the entire pelvic floor muscles.
Key Points For Bladder Control
These tips and techniques can help reduce bladder urgency and urinary frequency and help to bladder control training. Its simply a matter of testing which techniques work best for you, particularly when combined with strong pelvic floor muscle contractions.
When incorporated into an effective bladder control training program, these bladder calming strategies and bladder control exercises can help to reduce and overcome bladder control problems.
Important: Bladder problems such as urinary urgency and/or urinary frequency can be caused by or associated with medical problems. If you experience urinary urgency or urinary frequency you are advised to speak with your medical practitioner about your condition before commencing bladder control training.
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What Medications Can I Use For Overactive Bladder
Your doctor may suggest trying behavioral techniques before having you use a medication to treat overactive bladder. However, medications can work very well to return normal function to the bladder. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of using the following commonly prescribed medications:
Anticholinergic medications
These medications control muscle spasms in the bladder:
- Oxybutynin , oxybutynin XL , oxybutynin TDDS .
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Urinary Bladder Facts: 6
6. When empty, the inner lining of the Urinary Bladder makes folds and tucks in. When urine fills in, the lining and hence the bladder expands to accommodate urine flowing in through the Ureters.
7. When empty the muscle walls of the bladder becomes thick and the whole organ becomes firm. However, this is only temporary.
8. The moment the Kidneys process urine and send the liquid through the Ureters all the way down to the bladder, the muscle walls of the Urinary Bladder start thinning and the bladder starts expanding. One thing of note here is that the urine runs down the Ureters because of:
- Peristalsis a wave-like movement of the Ureters.
9. As the bladder keeps expanding, it needs space. The growing bladder gradually moves upwards and fills in the space in the abdominal cavity.
10. There are two question that need to be asked. They are:
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How Long Does It Take To Work
If urinary urgency and frequency are your only symptoms, you may see improvement in a few weeks. If you have more severe urgency and frequency, bladder retraining may take longer. On average, it takes about three months to retrain the bladder. By using this technique, you can take more control of your urinary urgency and frequency symptoms.
What Causes Overactive Bladder
An overactive bladder can be caused by several things, or even a combination of causes. Some possible causes can include:
- Weak pelvic muscles: Pregnancy and childbirth can cause your pelvic muscles to stretch and weaken. This can cause the bladder to sag out of its normal position. All of these factors can cause leakage.
- Nerve damage: Sometimes signals are sent to the brain and bladder to empty at the wrong time. Trauma and diseases can cause this to happen. These can include:
- Pelvic or back surgery.
Often, there may be no specific explanation for why this is occurring.
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Bladder Training As A Behavioral Treatment For Children
Sanja Jelic, MD is board-certified in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. She is an assistant professor and attending physician at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, NY.
Bladder training is a behavioral treatment that may be effective in eliminating bedwetting among children. Bladder training seeks to increase the capacity of the bladder and the strength of the muscles used to retain urine in children and reduce the chance of accidents overnight. Learn how bladder training can be an effective bedwetting treatment in kids who still have problems.
Will The Type Of Treatment Youre On Affect Your Diet
There are many medications that are available to treat overactive bladder. Most of these medications work by relaxing the bladder muscles to prevent bladder spasms. They can, however, have side effects, and those may in turn affect what you eat and drink.
A common side effect of OAB medications is dry mouth. This may cause you to drink more water than normal, which may then increase your oab symptoms. Keep an eye on how much water youre consuming, and try to take small sips throughout the day to avoid overloading your bladder.
Constipation is another potential side effect of OAB. Constipation places increased pressure on your bladder a problem in general, but especially when you have overactive bladder. Patients who experience constipation can help relieve this symptom by eating fiber rich foods, such as the ones listed above.
Talk to your doctor about any potential side effects of OAB medications you may be taking or considering.
OAB can be a frustrating condition, and one that can be tricky to treat. Talk to your doctor about the diet changes you can make to improve your symptoms, and incorporate some of the tips above. With a few small tweaks to what you eat, you may soon be on to drier days.
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Drugs For Overactive Bladder
In people with overactive bladder, muscles in the bladder wall contract at the wrong time. A group of drugs called anticholinergics combat this problem by blocking the nerve signals related to bladder muscle contractions. Research suggests that these drugs also might increase bladder capacity and decrease the urge to go.
Anticholinergic drugs include:
Oxytrol for women is the only drug available over the counter. Overall, these drugs work about the same in treating overactive bladder, and generally people tolerate all of them well. The main side effect is dry mouth, but anticholinergics also can cause constipation, blurred vision, and increased heartbeat.
Anticholinergics aren’t right for everyone. Some people with glaucoma, urinary retention, or gastrointestinal disease should avoid using anticholinergic drugs.
The drugs mirabegron and vibegron called beta-3 adrenergic agonists. These medications work by activating a protein receptor in bladder muscles that relaxes them and helps the bladder fill and store urine.
Another type of drug for overactive bladder is the tricyclic antidepressantimipramine hydrochloride , which also relaxes bladder muscles.
Doctors also treat men with drugs that relax a muscle at the bladder neck and prostate to help with emptying. They include:
A Bladder Training Program
We recommend working with a continence nurse specialist or menâs womenâs and pelvic health physotherapist to design a bladder training program to suit your individual needs. Bladder training programs may take up to three months, with weekly or fortnighly appointments to monitor your progress and measure your improvement.
At the start of a bladder training program, you will be asked to keep a bladder diary. Every time you pass urine, you record the date, time and how much urine you pass. You will also need to record the amount of fluid that you consume each day. This will need to be done for a few days to see how much your bladder holds and how often you need to empty it. You should also include comments about leaking or other symptoms such as burning or pain.
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Anticholinergic Drugs For Oab
The largest class of drugs used to treat OAB is anticholinergic drugs. They work by blocking a chemical in your body called acetylcholine. This chemical sends a message to your bladder to contract. By blocking this chemical, these drugs reduce the contractions that cause you to release urine. In studies that compared the drugs, all anticholinergics worked in treating OAB.
Anticholinergics are sold under different brand names. Some are also available as generic drugs. These medications include:
All of these drugs except for Oxytrol come as either tablets or capsules that you take by mouth. Oxytrol is available as a skin patch.
The most common side effects of anticholinergic drugs include:
Seniors have the greatest risk of side effects from these drugs. These medications may also cause drowsiness and an increased risk of falls in seniors. Oxybutynin may cause more side effects than the other drugs in this class. However, taking oxybutynin in its extended-release form may reduce some of the side effects. Anticholinergics may also worsen dementia symptoms and should be used with caution in people with this disease.
How Many Times Is Normal To Urinate At Night
Not everyone is the same, and there are factors that determine what is normal for most people. For example, nighttime urination is more common if you have something to drink right before bed, and is also more common in older adults. Most people without nocturia can sleep for 6 to 8 hours without having to urinate, but getting up to go to the bathroom once during the night is still within the realm of normal. If you have to use the restroom two or more times per night, it is a good idea to talk to your urologist about nocturia.
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Do Regular Kegel Exercises
Once you find your pelvic floor muscles, you can complete regular Kegel exercises to strengthen them. Simply contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold them for five to ten seconds, and relax them. The Urology Care Foundation suggests that you complete at least two sessions of Kegel exercises per day. Up to 30 contractions per session.
What Is A Normal Bladder Habit
The volume of urine passed each time by a normal adult will vary from around 250400ml. This is the same as about two cupfuls. Most people with normal bladder habits can hold on for 34 hours between visits to the toilet. Most younger adults can also go right through the night without the need to pass urine.
With ageing, the bladder capacity may get smaller, so the frequency of passing urine may increase, both by day and night.
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Precautions And Proper Diagnosis
The main symptoms of OAB can also occur in other health conditions like bladder cancer, urinary tract infection and enlarged prostate. Seeing blood in your urine is not a symptom of OAB.
A sudden and frequent need to urinate is common in both OAB and a UTI. How can you tell the difference between these two urinary health issues? Unlike OAB, a UTI also comes with other symptoms such as discomfort while urinating. In addition, OAB symptoms are continuous while UTI symptoms are sudden and may also include a fever.
Overflow incontinence is characterized by the involuntary release of urine from an overfull urinary bladder, often in the absence of any urge to urinate. This condition is not associated with OAB. It typically occurs in people who have a blockage of the bladder outlet, which can occur with benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer or a narrowing of the urethra. Overflow incontinence can also occur when the muscle responsible for removing urine from the bladder is too weak to empty the bladder in a normal way.
It is very important to see a doctor to ensure a proper diagnosis if you experience any changes in your urine and/or urination habits.
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Assessment Of Frequent Urination At Night
The assessment of nocturia includes those factors on history and physical examination discussed in the general assessment of urinary incontinence.
History taking in patients with nocturia includes a specific assessment of:
- Total fluid intake
- Intake of fluids in the hours before going to bed
- Intake of fluids that can act as bladder irritants and increase nocturnal urine output such as alcohol and caffeine
- Blood sugar levels
- Diabetic control in diabetic patients
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What Are The Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder represents a collection of symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Urinary urgency. Urinary urgency is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee. Once you feel the need to pee, you have a short amount of time to get to a bathroom.
- Frequent peeing. A frequent need to pee means you have to go to the bathroom more often than usual.
- Urge incontinence. Urge incontinence is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee, and you may leak pee.
- Nocturia. Nocturia is the need to get up to pee at least two times each night.
How Do I Take Care Of Myself
If treatments dont work for you, or if youre waiting for them to take effect, incontinence products such as disposable pads or adult diapers can help you take control and improve your quality of life.
The following can help boost your comfort and confidence if youre wearing incontinence products:
- Change the product regularly. Changing your pads or adult diapers after a leak helps reduce odors.
- Apply a barrier ointment or lotion. Using a barrier ointment or lotion on your skin before using incontinence products helps prevent skin irritation from regular exposure to pee.
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes. Incontinence products can be bulky and make you feel self-conscious. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing can help hide incontinence products, so you worry less about others noticing what youre wearing.
- Wear darker clothing. Darker clothing helps hide any leaks that may occur.
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Foods To Incorporate If You Have Oab
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Lean Proteins fish, chicken breast, turkey, low fat beef and pork are good options. Eggs are also a good source of protein if youre trying to avoid meat.
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Fiber Rich Foods these foods are filling and can help prevent constipation, which can put extra pressure on your bladder. Almonds, oats, pears, raspberries lentils and beans are all good options when you want to add more fiber into your diet.
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Fruits while some fruits, especially citrus, can irritate the bladder, its still important to incorporate them into your diet. Bananas, apples, grapes, coconut and watermelon are good options for those with overactive bladder.
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Vegetables Leafy greens, like kale, lettuce, cucumber, squash, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery and bell peppers.
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Whole grains, like oats, barley, farro, and quinoa .
You may wish to eliminate all the foods on the do not eat list, then slowly reintroduce them back into your diet one by one to determine which ones your bladder finds irritating.