Dealing With Overflow Incontinence
After-dribble/overflow incontinence is where a small amount of urine leaks out after youve finished.
The good news is that this type of incontinence responds well to self-treatment. Here are some tips:
- Sit down on the toilet to empty your bladder.
- Make sure elatics, belts or briefs are not tight around your penis and scrotum to ensure the urethra is straightened when urinating.
- Alternatively, place your fingertips behind the scrotum and apply gentle upward and forward pressure to encourage urine flow.
If You Have Overactive Bladder Drugs May Not Be The Best Solution
The advertising of drugs for what is often called overactive bladder can make it seem as though medication is the key to curbing frequent bathroom breaks and bladder leaks. But is taking a drug the best solution for regaining control of your bladder?
Drug ads may leave out information you need before deciding whether to use a certain therapy, says Michael Hochman, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. In particular:
Symptoms may be addressed without drugs. About one-third of the time, leaks and strong urges to go resolve in women within a year without treatment. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on certain fluids or doing exercises to strengthen muscles supporting the bladder, can greatly improve control.
The drugs often dont work well. According to an analysis by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs, most people who take these medications can expect only modest relief. Medication reduces the number of daily bathroom trips from 12 to nine or 10, on average. People who experience bladder leaks can expect one or two fewer episodes per day.
Lifestyle changes that improve your overall health shedding a few pounds if youre overweight and stopping smoking can also reduce incontinence. In addition, get your fiber, because constipation puts pressure on your bladder.
Copyright 2017. Consumers Union of United States Inc.
Sleeping Pills And Incontinence
Only a small percent of people with incontinence have a problem with bed-wetting, according to Anger, who estimates that about 10% of patients with incontinence wet the bed. However, sleeping pills may pose a problem for those with incontinence at night.
Sleeping pills can make things worse, because people dont wake up , she says.
As an alternative, cut down on caffeine so you sleep better on your own, Anger suggests.
Sleep will come more easily if you keep a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule, according to the National Sleep Foundation. You can also develop a relaxing bedtime ritual, such as reading a book or listening to soothing music.
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Carefully Manage Your Fluid Intake
Drinking too much fluid puts pressure on your bladder, and makes you need to urinate. Drinking too little means your urine becomes concentrated, which irritates your bladder, and leads to urinary urgency.
However, it’s important to maintain your fluid intake to avoid dehydration. You can drink slowly and throughout the day to maintain adequate hydration.
- Aim to drink four to eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day.
- Look at your urine and aim for a light yellow color. Dark urine is a sign that you are not drinking enough. Colorless urine is a sign of drinking too much.
- Try to drink only during the day and stop a couple of hours before you go to bed.
- Drink mainly water avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks night.
Seven Effective Treatments For Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder occurs when sudden or frequent urges to urinate become hard to control, and can often lead to leakage .
In order to best treat overactive bladder, a urologist must pinpoint the underlying cause. Treatment will depend on symptom severity and the degree to which they impact someones quality of life. In general, there are three approaches to treatment: medication, behavioral interventions, and surgery.
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What Medications Cause Overactive Bladder
An overactive bladder involves an uncontrolled urge or sudden need to urinate. Most of us have increased our fluid intake at some point, which led to more trips to the bathroom. But an overactive bladder is different. It does not occur due to an increase in fluids. Although, some medications can cause this. So, what medications cause overactive bladder? We will take a look shortly.
An overactive bladder is not the same thing as urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence occurs when urine leaks out involuntary. Either condition can develop on its own, but they can also occur together. An overactive bladder can often lead to urinary incontinence.
How To Cope With Side Effects
What to do about:
- feeling sick â try taking mirabegron with a meal or snack. It may also help if you stick to simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food.
- constipation â eat more high-fibre foodsâ¯such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals, and drink plenty of water.â¯Try to exercise more regularly, for example, by going for a daily walk or run. If this does not help, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.â¯Watch this short video about how to treat constipation.
- diarrhoea â drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
- urinary tract infection â if you think you have a UTI, ask a pharmacist or doctor to recommend a treatment. Tell them that you are taking mirabegron.
- headache â make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol. Ask a pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if the headaches continue or are severe.
- feeling dizzy â stop what you’re doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Do not drive, ride a bike or operate machinery until it passes. If you are still having dizzy spells after a week, speak to your doctor.
- fast heart rate â lie down and try to relax. This is usually nothing to worry about and will pass. Contact 111 if your heart beat does not slow down after resting, or if you have chest pain.
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Absorbency Products Can Help
No matter how fast you can run, sometimes that bathroom is just a little bit too far in the distance. Dont let yourself get caught in an embarrassing situation There is a wide range of products available that are discreet and comfortable.
Incontinence products excel in their absorbency and wont leak or become lumpy when they get wet. They help control odor and minimize contact between urine and your skin, preventing the development of a rash or other irritation.
Many incontinence products are available, from discrete pads with little bulk that can be slipped into underwear, to disposable adult-sized underwear with in-built absorbency and easy-tear sides. Gender-specific products account for the different requirements of men and women, and there are many reusable and washable options available.
Common brands include Attends, Because, Tena, Tranquility, Depend, Prevail and Poise.
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Causes And Risk Factors
Aging
OAB occurs in both men and women. Its possible to have overactive bladder at any point in your life. But, its especially common in older adults. The prevalence of OAB in people younger than 50 years of age is less than 10 percent. After the age of 60, the prevalence increases to 20 to 30 percent.
The following are some of the other most common underlying causes and risk factors associated with OAB symptoms:
Nerve Damage
A healthy, normal functioning bladder holds urine until it gets full and is prompted to empty by nerve signals. However, when nerve damage occurs in the body, the muscles surrounding the urethra can be too loose. This undesirable looseness can cause someone to become incontinent. What can cause nerve damage that can then lead to bladder leakage? Some possibilities include:
- Back or pelvis surgery
- Stroke
Weak pelvic muscles
When a man or womans pelvic floor muscles are weak, bladder control issues can happen. The pelvic floor muscles are like a sling that holds up the uterus and bladder. For women, a pregnancy and childbirth can often lead to a stretching and weakening of the vital pelvic floor muscles. When pelvic floor muscles are compromised for this reason or another, the bladder can then sag out of place. The opening of the urethra also stretches and urine easily leaks out.
Menopause
Extra weight or obesity
Diuretic medications
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Smoking May Increase The Urge To Urinate
Smoking irritates the lining of the bladder, and also makes you cough, both of which are unhelpful if you have an overactive bladder.
It is a good decision for both general health reasons and overactive bladder reasons to stop smoking. Work with your health care provider to start a formal “Quit Smoking” program, which may involve smoking cessation medications and group support for the most successful outcome.
Learn more: Our Quit Smoking center also has some helpful advice.
Medications That May Cause Increased Urination
There are several potential causes of frequent urination, and the meds youre taking might be one of them.
Stocksy
Maybe youve noticed that youre rushing to the restroom lately. Or youre waking up in the middle of the night to go. Perhaps you’re needing to take way more breaks at work to pee.
There are many potential causes of frequent urination. They include, but are not limited to, an increase in water intake, a urinary tract infection, or onset of a new disease such as diabetes, as the Mayo Clinic notes.
Its worth asking yourself: Have I started a new medication lately?
That gotta-go impulse is a relatively common side effect of various drugs available over-the-counter and by prescription. Many medications can lead to urinary retention and something we call overflow incontinence, which is when the bladder is not able to contract and expel urine effectively, leaving urine in the bladder, says Brooke D. Hudspeth, PharmD, an associate professor and the chief practice officer at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in Lexington. Other meds may interfere with the function of the urethra and lead to leakage or cause the bladder to quickly fill up with urine and make you pee more frequently.
Whether youre on diuretics to reduce your blood pressure, a decongestant to clear your sinuses, or a mood-stabilizing medication for bipolar disorder, here are some common medications that may be causing you to urinate more.
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Use Of Myrbetriq And Important Safety Information
Do not take MYRBETRIQ® if you are allergic to mirabegron or any ingredients in MYRBETRIQ. MYRBETRIQ may cause your blood pressure to increase or make your blood pressure worse if you have a history of high blood pressure. You and your doctor should check your blood pressure while you are taking MYRBETRIQ.
Overactive Bladder And Botox
Botox may be best known as a great wrinkle reducer for the face. But this injection has actually shown great promise as a treatment for many medical conditions.
Most overactive bladder medications aim to calm muscles and nerves in the urinary tract. If these medicines arent effective, your doctor may consider injecting Botox into your bladder muscles. This can help calm the muscles and reduce symptoms of OAB.
Botox injections for overactive bladder are well-tolerated with few side effects. The injections effects typically last six to eight months. After that time, your doctor may want to use another round of injections to control symptoms.
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Medications For Urinary Incontinence
If your problem is overactive bladder, a medical professional will likely prescribe you anticholinergic/antispasmodic medications such as Ditropan XL, Detrol, Enablex , VESIcare, Sanctura and Toviaz . The most common side effects of these are dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and joint pain.
Avodart and Proscar , known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, are also commonly prescribed for overactive bladder. However, they are associated with sexual side effects, such as erectile dysfunction. A recent study also found that men on Avodart had a higher risk of developing diabetes and high cholesterol compared to those taking another overactive bladder drug, Flomax, which is known as an alpha blocker.
Although an older class, many doctors look to alpha blockers as an initial treatment. However, side effects with them include dizziness, headache, stomach problems and reduced semen during ejaculation.
For stress incontinence, you may be prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant such as Tofranil and Elavil or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Cymbalta . Antidepressants come with some nasty side effects, from constipation to vomiting, weight changes and decreased sex drive.
Alpha-adrenergic agonists are another option and include ProAmatine and Sudafed , which is available over the counter. Common side effects include loss of appetite, insomnia and skin rashes or itching.
Medications For Unspecified Oab
If your doctor cant find a cause for your OAB, dont worry. Drugs can still help ease your symptoms. Some of these drugs work by relaxing your bladder. They stop involuntary contractions that bring on the urge to urinate. Other drugs help strengthen the tissues around your bladder that may have become weak. The stronger tissue can help improve your bladder control.
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Botox Injection For Bladder Problems
Botox injection has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of overactive bladder for patients who have failed to respond to standard therapy with anticholinergic medications.
Overactive bladder is a type of urinary incontinence caused by overactivity of the muscles in the bladder, causing frequent squeezing of the bladder and, thus, frequent urge to urinate. Botox can be injected into the bladder directly through a cystoscope .
Common side effects of Botox injection may include incomplete emptying, urinary tract infection, and painful urination.
What To Expect From Your Doctor
Your doctor may use an overactive bladder questionnaire to make an assessment of your symptoms, asking questions such as:
- How long have you had these symptoms?
- Do you unexpectedly leak urine? How often?
- What do your symptoms keep you from doing that you like to do?
- During daily activities, such as walking or bending over, do you leak urine?
© 1998-2022 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research . All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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What If I Take Too Much
If you take too much mirabegron, it is unlikely to harm you.
If you take an extra dose by mistake, you might get some of the common side effects, such as increased heart rate, or headache and dizziness.
Urgent advice: Contact 111 now for advice if:
You’ve taken more than your usual dose of mirabegron and:
- you’re having side effects
Call or go to 111.nhs.uk
Pathophysiology Of Oab Syndrome
According to the ICS, detrusor overactivity is defined as: a urodynamic observation characterized by involuntary detrusor contractions during the filling phase which may be spontaneous or provoked . The etiology of OAB is not well known, but all theories are related to the term detrusor overactivity, suggesting that the sensory mechanisms of the bladder are affected in these situations, which leads to the creation of an urgency in emptying the bladder at smaller or much smaller quantities than under normal conditions. This is because the detrusor is very strongly innervated, and the function of the bladder is ensured by a complex mechanism of interactions between the central and peripheral nervous system .
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Pelvic Floor Exercises Can Help Immensely
You cant see your pelvic floor muscles however, just like other muscles in your body they lose their strength if they are not put to use.
Pelvic floor exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor when done consistently at least twice a day. How are they done?
- Imagine you are holding back gas or urine.
- Squeeze and lift the rectal area without tightening your buttocks or belly. Try and hold it for a count of three before relaxing. Repeat this cycle 10 times. Do 10 sets of Kegel exercises, at least 3 times a day.
- Increase your contractions as your doctor recommends.
- Do not hold your breath when you do Kegel exercises. Keep your stomach, back, and leg muscles relaxed.
- Don’t use Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream which can lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder and an increased risk of a urinary tract infection.
Review our information about Kegel exercises for both women and men to learn more about the techniques.
Are You At Risk For Overactive Bladder
There is a new term that is associated with a lack of estrogen and can encompass several conditions like vaginal dryness and overactive bladder symptoms, called Genitourinary Syndrome. Women are likely to experience Genitourinary Syndrome during menopause.
While menopause is often linked to overactive bladder, BMI and age are two of the most common risk factors for overactive bladder. Aging may bring increased susceptibility to other conditions that can cause overactive bladder, like diabetes, cognitive decline, medication use, etc.
Patients sometimes ask if pregnancy could lead to overactive bladder. Pregnancy and vaginal delivery both involve muscle and nerve compression and stretching, which can cause pelvic floor injury, leading to bladder urgency symptoms.
Breastfeeding, which causes a naturally low-estrogen state for women, might also increase bladder leaks. Many new moms experiencing these issues often ask, will it ever improve? The answer is yes during the first year postpartum, the normal tissue remodeling and repair will slowly improve these bladder symptoms.
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