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Overactive Bladder

What is an Overactive Bladder?

Do you always feel like you have to go? Are you afraid of social situations because you need frequent restroom breaks? You may be one of the 33 million men and women in the US affected by overactive bladder (OAB).

Although many people don’t realize it, OAB is a real medical condition that may affect up to 1 in 6 adults in the US. The most common symptom is a sudden urge to urinate, followed by difficulty suppressing that urge. Left untreated, OAB can lead to urinary incontinence. Beyond the physical effects, OAB can also have a large impact on psychological well-being. You may feel embarrassed, end up isolating yourself, or limit your social and career life.

But there’s good news: With the proper diagnosis, treatments can greatly reduce or eliminate the symptoms of overactive bladder.

The ABC’s of OAB

When everything is functioning normally, your kidneys produce urine, which travels down a pair of long tubes called the ureters to your bladder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bladder releases urine through an opening at the bottom (neck), which in turn flows out a short tube called the urethra (u-REE-thrah). In women, the urethral opening is located just above the vaginal opening.

When the bladder reaches about half its capacity, nerve signals are sent to your brain, giving you the sense that your bladder is "full." It’s not until your bladder is three-quarters full, however, that you actually feel the need to go to the bathroom. When you urinate, nerve signals coordinate the relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles and the muscles surrounding the neck of the bladder and upper portion of the urethra (called the urinary sphincter muscles).

Normally, the muscles of the bladder contract, which forces urine out. If you suffer from OAB, however, the bladder muscles may contract involuntarily, resulting in a sudden, urgent need to urinate. Sometimes the urinary sphincter (which acts like a valve to prevent the bladder from leaking) becomes so overwhelmed by these involuntary bladder muscle contractions that urine leakage occurs. This is referred to as urge incontinence.

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