The sudden urge to urinate and the increased frequency to go to the bathroom are the two common symptoms of an overactive bladder (OAB). It has a group of symptoms that could make you uncomfortable socially and especially while traveling. There are many behavioral strategies to address the problem of OAB, and if those don’t help, you can opt for medical treatments. In some cases, it can also trigger involuntary loss of urine, also known as stress urinary incontinence, while exercising, laughing, sneezing, or during any physical exertion.

Determined by the frequency and the urgency to urinate, OAB includes the below symptoms:

• an urgent need to urinate that isn’t easy to control;
• frequent need to urinate during the day (over 8 times in 24 hours);
• a need to use the bathroom more than once a night; and
• unintentional loss of urine.

All these symptoms can affect your work, social life, exercise, and it’s almost impossible to enjoy a good night’s sleep with those many trips to the bathroom. Many lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms of OAB, and you can also opt for medical treatments.

Bladder training
A patient with OAB continually feels the urge to urinate, even when the bladder isn’t full. So, to train the bladder, the patient must resist the urge to help train the bladder. This technique sure takes time but effectively trains the bladder to reduce bathroom visits.

Kegels
Targeted pelvic exercises strengthen the pelvic muscles and help manage the OAB symptoms. The muscles that are at work during kegel exercises are the same muscles the body uses to urinate.

Medication
After being diagnosed with OAB, your doctor may prescribe tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA), trospium (Sanctura), and mirabegron (Myrbetriq) to help get rid of the symptoms. These, however, come with side effects such as dry mouth, dry eyes, and constipation.

Bladder botox
In cases where both therapy and medication do not benefit the patient, bladder botox treatment is the next best option. In this procedure, the injected medicine helps relax the bladder wall muscles to keep them from contracting, reducing the urge and frequency to urinate. However, the treatment may have to be repeated, as the effect only lasts between 6 and 8 months.

Nerve stimulation
This treatment involves sending electrical signals to pelvis muscles and lower back with a small wire. This procedure encourages the propagation of healthy nerve cells; as a result, reducing the symptoms. This treatment is only opted for when a patient suffers adverse effects of medication.

Surgery
When none of the above treatments help relieve the symptoms, your doctor may suggest surgery to increase your bladder capacity. The course of surgery depends on factors such as gender, severity of the symptoms, and cause. Some of the surgical options include colposuspension, sling surgery, and vaginal mesh surgery.