How Bladder Spasms Are Treated
How your bladder spasms will be treated is entirely dependent on whats causing them and, more often than not, it will be a combination of multiple treatments. But lets look at some of the options out there.
Change in dietIf your spasms are caused by certain foods and drinks, your GP might suggest that you make small changes to your diet. A food diary can be super helpful for this kind of thing as it will help you keep track of which foods and drinks worsen your symptoms. That way youll know exactly what to cut out!
Timing your toilet tripsThis type of therapy usually involves you going to the toilet every 1.5 to 2 hours and is often very successful in treating bladder spasms in children. As your situation is improving and youre having fewer accidents you can keep longer times between toilet visits.
Pelvic floor exercises These types of exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor which helps your body to hold on to urine. To do Kegels, simply tighten the muscles in your pelvic floor. How? Just squeeze them the same way as you would if you were trying to stop peeing or trying to not pass gas. Make sure youre exercising the correct muscles, though, as exercising the wrong ones can put even more pressure on your bladder and might lead to accidents. If youre not sure which muscles you should exercises, speak to your GP they might be able to refer you to specialist.
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Exercises To Train The Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor needs a workout in the form of physical therapy that can strengthen the bladder and help you hold the urine. Bladder retraining starts with Kegel exercises.
It can be a little difficult at first to manage the urge urinary incontinence and bladder symptoms. Still, with regular practice and muscle tightening, the pressure to the bladder can subside. Talk to your doctor for specific instructions on how to manage stress incontinence.
Why Does My Bladder Spasm
Bladder spasms may have several different causes. As mentioned above, people with OAB typically experience bladder spasms. Urinary tract infections and irritation from using a catheter are also common culprits. And, people with a neurological disorder, such as MS or a spinal cord injury, may experience bladder spasms.
If you have recently had a hysterectomy, you may also experience bladder spasms initially. These usually improve after a few weeks, but talk to your doctor if you have any painful sensations or you dont see a reduction in them after several weeks.
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Adjuvant Analgesics For Visceral Pain
There are limited data that support the potential efficacy of a range of adjuvant agents for the management of bladder spasm, tenesmoid pain, and colicky intestinal pain. Oxybutynin chloride, a tertiary amine with anticholinergic and papaverine-like, direct muscular antispasmodic effects, is often helpful for bladder spasm pain as is flavoxate . Based on limited clinical experience and in vitro evidence that prostaglandins play a role in bladder smooth-muscle contraction, a trial of NSAIDs may be justified for patients with painful bladder spasms . Limited data support a trial of intravesical capsaicin .
There is no well-established pharmacotherapy for painful rectal spasms. A recent double-blinded study demonstrated that nebulized salbutamol can reduce the duration and severity of attacks . There is anecdotal support for trials of diltiazem , clonidine , chlorpromazine , and benzodiazepines .
Colicky pain due to inoperable bowel obstruction has been treated empirically with intravenous scopolamine butylbromide and sublingual scopolamine hydrobromide . Limited data support the use of octreotide for this indication .
Bladder Spasms: Signs Causes Treatments & Prevention
Bladder spasms are when the muscles of your bladder contract or tighten. These spasms often trigger an urge to urinate and a burning sensation when you release urine.
Bladder spasms are often used synonymously with overactive bladder . While these are two different conditions, they often happen to be related.
Spasms in your bladder may be a warning sign of urinary tract infection, interstitial cystitis, neurological disease, or simply drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.
Talking with your doctor about bladder spasms may be embarrassing, but it doesnt have to be. I encourage you to speak frankly with your doctor about your situation, and I bet they will treat you with respect. The doctors here at PrimeHealth treat our patients with the utmost respect.
Keep reading to learn all about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for bladder spasms.
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What If My Incontinence Persists
When bladder leaks persist more than a year, other treatments may be needed to improve the urinary control.
Though rarely needed, Dr. David Samadi and his team provide a range of treatment options for men experiencing long-term incontinence after prostate surgery.
A variety of surgical procedures can be used to restore urinary control should your symptoms last more than a year.
Boxed Warning: Spread Of Toxin Effects
This drug has a boxed warning . This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration . A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
Receiving Botox injections can raise your risk for botulism. Botulism is a fatal condition that causes paralysis. In rare cases, Botox may spread away from where its injected to other parts of your body. This is known as botulism.
Symptoms of botulism may include:
- muscle weakness all over your body
- double vision or blurred vision
- drooping of your eyelids
- change in or loss of your voice
- loss of bladder control
- trouble breathing or swallowing
If you have any of these symptoms after receiving Botox injections, call 911 right away or seek immediate emergency medical care.
If you have questions about your risk for botulism from Botox injections, talk with your doctor.
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Nervous System Disorders That Lead To Bladder Spasms
The feeling you get when you need to empty your bladder is normally an involuntary response. The brain signals the bladder muscle when it is time to tighten and release urine. However, certain nervous system disorders cause damage to the nerves that send signals between the brain and the bladder. When this happens, the bladder does not work properly. “Neurogenic bladder” is the general term for bladder problems due to nerve damage.
Nervous system disorders and injury that can cause bladder spasms include:
- Other lower abdominal surgery
Penile Pain/urethral Discomfort After Radical Prostatectomy
It comes as no surprise that there is some urethral discomfort experienced by patients with an indwelling urethral catheter after a radical prostatectomy , and that for some patients there can be a degree of significant penile pain until the catheter is removed .
The seriousness of the urethral discomfort and the penile pain seem to vary considerably from patient to patient, but neither of these are issues that we hear about often from patients .
Weinberg et al. have now reported data from a small, randomized, double-blind trial designed to see whether they could alleviate this urethral catheter-association pain with a single injection of a drug known as bupivacaine, which acts as a dorsal penile nerve blocker.
Between 2012 and 2013, Weinberg and his colleagues enrolled a total of 140 patients as participants in this trial. All patients had been diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and were scheduled to undergo a robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. All the procedures were carried out by the same surgeon. The patients were randomized to receive a single intrapenile injection of bupivacaine or a single injection of a placebo at the completion of their surgical procedure .
Here are the key study findings reported by Weinberg et al.:
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Hybrid Prescription Pain Medications
Tramadol and tramadol with acetaminophen are prescription pain medications used for moderate pain. It is a weak opioid that acts on parts of the brain and spinal cord to reduce pain sensation. It also appears to reduce the size of the pain signal. Propoxyphene is a mild opioid analgesic related to methadone and is used for mild to moderate pain.
What Causes Overactive Bladder
Nerve and muscle damage near your bladder causes overactive bladder. The damage causes your bladder to contract at an unplanned time. Thats what causes leaking and the sudden, urgent need to urinate. Sometimes, having too much fluid in your bladder or too much caffeine can cause overactive bladder.
Nerve damage is caused by:
- Vaginal childbirth .
- Spinal cord or brain injuries or infections.
- Exposure to heavy metals.
Bladder cancer can lead to overactive bladder. In most cases, the American Academy of Family Physicians does not recommend routine screening for bladder cancer unless you have symptoms of overactive bladder.
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How Often Will I Get Botox Injections
How often you receive Botox injections may vary. Youll need to track the symptoms of your bladder condition so that your doctor can determine how often you need the injections.
The minimum period between injections is 12 weeks, but in some cases, people feel the effects of Botox for longer periods. This means that they may need injections less often.
If you have questions about how often youll need to get Botox injections for your condition, talk with your doctor.
What Are Urinary Antispasmodics
Urinary antispasmodics are the name given to a group of medicines that block the effects of acetylcholine and inhibit involuntary detrusor muscle contractions. The detrusor muscle is found in the wall of the bladder. Urinary antispasmodics are used to treat symptoms of urge incontinence and overactive bladder.
Acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system . The parasympathetic nervous system regulates various organ and gland functions at rest, including digestion, defecation, lacrimation, salivation, and urination.
Acetylcholine acts on two types of receptors nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors. Some urinary antispasmodics are non-selective, which means they bind to both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. Others selectively block M3 . Selective antispasmodics cause less drowsiness than non-selective antispasmodics but may cause more constipation, dry mouth, and blurred vision.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Botox
The lists below include some of the main side effects that have been reported in people using Botox. For information about other possible side effects of the drug, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
You can also learn more about side effects from this in-depth Botox article or from the drugs medication guide.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. If youd like to notify the FDA about a side effect youve had with Botox, visit MedWatch.
How Is Overactive Bladder Diagnosed
Your doctor will start by discussing your symptoms and medical history. He or she might order certain tests to help diagnose the problem. These tests might include:
- Urodynamics:During this test, your doctor will fill your bladder and then see how well it empties.
- Imaging:Your doctor may need to look inside your bladder through the use of an X-ray, CT scan , or MRI .
- EEG and EMG: Electroencephalograph and electromyograph testing looks at how well your bladder functions. Wires and pads are placed on your lower abdomen . These wires are able to test the nerves inside.
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What Is The Typical Dosage For Botox
Below are commonly used dosages of Botox for bladder conditions. But your doctor will determine the right dosage to fit your needs.
For OAB symptoms in adults, the recommended dose is 100 units of Botox. This is also the maximum recommended dose for treating this condition.
For use in adults with detrusor overactivity caused by a neurological condition, the recommended dose is 200 units of Botox. This is also the recommended maximum dose for treating this condition.
Childrens dosage
Botox is used in children ages 5 years and older with detrusor overactivity caused by a neurological condition. For this purpose, the Botox dose is determined based on the childs weight:
- For children who weigh at least 34 kilograms , which is at least about 75 pounds , the dose is 200 units of Botox.
- For children who weigh under 34 kg , the recommended dose is 6 units of Botox for every kilogram of body weight. Your childs doctor will calculate the appropriate dose for them.
Note: Botox has other uses in addition to treating bladder problems. The dosage may be different for these other uses. To learn more, talk with your doctor.
Can Eating Certain Foods Or Drinks Make My Bladder Pain Symptoms Worse
Maybe. Some people report that their symptoms start or get worse after eating certain foods or drinks, such as:16
- Citrus fruits, such as oranges
- Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee or soda
Keep a food diary to track your symptoms after eating certain foods or drinks. You can also stop eating foods or drinks one at a time for at least one week to see if your symptoms go away. If not, stop eating other trigger foods or drinks one at a time for one week to see which ones may be causing some of your symptoms.
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Treatment Of Bladder Spasms
How your doctor treats your bladder spasms depends on what exactly is causing your painful symptoms. But in general, therapy may involve one or more of the following treatments. A combination of treatments often works best.
Botox. Botulinum-A toxin has been shown to reduce nerve-related bladder spasms in children and adults. Botox prevents nerves from releasing chemicals that tell muscles to contract. The Botox is injected directly into the bladder muscle wall.
Change in diet. This may help prevent bladder pain if certain foods and beverages are the culprit behind your spasms. Keeping a food diary, which tracks your meals and your symptoms, can be helpful.
Timed voiding. This involves timed trips to the bathroom to urinate, usually every 1.5 to 2 hours. Timed voiding is especially helpful for children. As the bladder spasms get better and fewer wetting accidents occur, you can extend the time between trips to the bathroom.
Pelvic floor exercises . Kegels and other forms of physical therapy help strengthen the bladder and other muscles that help the body hold in urine. Kegels, combined with biofeedback, are often a good way to help reduce bladder spasms in children. To tighten your pelvic muscles, squeeze your muscles in the same way as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine or prevent yourself from passing gas. Kegel exercises take practice, and tightening the wrong muscles can put more pressure on your bladder. Ask your doctor for specific instructions.
What Is Interstitial Cystitis/bladder Pain Syndrome
Interstitial cystitis /bladder pain syndrome is a chronic bladder health issue. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area. Along with this pain are lower urinary tract symptoms which have lasted for more than 6 weeks, without having an infection or other clear causes.
Symptoms range from mild to severe. For some patients the symptoms may come and go, and for others they dont go away. IC/BPS is not an infection, but it may feel like a bladder infection. Women with IC/BPS may feel pain when having sex. The more severe cases of IC/BPS can affect your life and your loved ones. Some people with IC/BPS have other health issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes.
The bladder and kidneys are part of the urinary system, the organs in our bodies that make, store, and pass urine. You have 2 kidneys that make urine. Then urine is stored in the bladder. The muscles in the lower part of your abdomen hold your bladder in place.
How the Urinary System Works
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Palliation Of Bladder Spasms
Background: Bladder spasms induced by involuntary bladder contractions are a distressing symptom affecting 7-27% of men and 9-43% of women . Seriously ill patients may develop bladder spasms as a complication from genitourinary malignancies, indwelling catheters, or other medical issues. For some, these contractions may be imperceptible and only appreciated on urodynamic testing for others, they can be incapacitating and associated with urinary incontinence.
Differential Diagnosis: Common etiologies of bladder spasms include a urinary tract infection , ingestion of chemical irritants like diet soda or caffeine, constipation, obstruction of the bladder outflow tract , disinhibition from interruption of upper motor neurons, or irritation of the detrusor muscle from a tumor, catheter, or intramural stone . Medications can also lead to spasms either by bladder irritation or disruption of the detrusor muscle or bladder outlet . See Fast Fact #287.
Clinical Evaluation of Bladder Spasms:
Interventional Procedures:
References
How Does Botox Work
Botox helps relieve the symptoms of bladder problems by promoting bladder control.
The detrusor muscle that lines the bladder plays an important role in bladder control. When the muscle relaxes, the bladder can fill with urine. When youre urinating, the muscle contracts to release urine.
If you have overactive bladder symptoms or detrusor overactivity, your bladder muscles spasm involuntarily . Botox is injected into the detrusor muscle to block the nerve signals to the muscle. This helps control the muscles contractions.
Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about Botoxs use in treating bladder conditions.
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