7 Warning Signs of Overactive Bladder

Photo Credit: ruigsantos / istockphoto.com Symptoms of Overactive Bladder Are your bathroom needs taking up too much of your attention? Urinating is such a mundane aspect of daily life – that is, until your bladder begins to act up. A sudden need to go, lots of nighttime visits to the toilet or an embarrassing leak can be signals that the muscles around your bladder are misfiring, and will likely need some help to get back on track. These are all signs of OAB. Overactive bladder (OAB) is not uncommon, but it’s also not normal, although it’s usually pretty easily treated and often reversed with behavioural strategies or medication. However, since other conditions can mimic the symptoms of OAB, it’s important to get these bladder symptoms checked out as soon as you can, in order to rule out more serious problems and get treatment underway. 1. A Feeling of Urgency One of the hallmarks of overactive bladder is an urgent need to “go.” You could be sitting, walking, eating, or doing absolutely nothing when that sudden urge strikes – an unpredictable problem that can lead to a fair bit of anxiety and nervousness in your daily life. This type of bladder issue is known as urge incontinence, and it’s one of the most common forms of overactive bladder, occurring in women and in men. It doesn’t always involve leaking urine, but often the urge comes anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes before the bladder begins to empty (whether or not you’ve made it to the toilet in time). Photo Credit: CSpindley / istockphoto.com 2. Frequent Urination In many cases, urinating too often is a sign of a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it can also point to a more chronic disorder. Everybody has different bathroom habits, and what you eat and drink can greatly affect the amount you need to urinate. However, frequent urination – that is, going more than 8 times in one day – can signal a problem with your bladder or kidneys, and calls for a trip to the doctor. Frequent urination is often one of the first symptoms of urge incontinence, and so you may find the need to go starts to come on more suddenly, too. Photo Credit: StudioSandbox / istockphoto.com 3. Getting up at Night to Urinate Drinking too much liquid before bed – especially diuretics like alcohol – can make anyone visit the bathroom in the middle of the night. However, if you find that most nights you’re waking up more than once with an urge to empty your bladder, you should see your doctor about a potential problem. This issue is known as nocturia, and although it may seem like a minor inconvenience, the longer you allow your bladder to interrupt your sleep, the more likely you will begin to suffer the consequences of poor sleep patterns. Photo Credit: kone / istockphoto.com 4. Little Leaks Contrary to the sudden, unmistakable onset of urge incontinence, stress incontinence leads to uncontrollable leaks without much warning. A little laugh, cough, or sneeze may be all it takes to leak a bit of urine, or else you might lose some control of your bladder when you jog, lift, or strain your muscles in some other way. It’s a relatively common bladder condition in younger women, and although it isn’t technically the type of incontinence that comes with overactive bladder, it can sometimes occur alongside urge incontinence in OAB cases. Photo Credit: Piero Cruciatti / istockphoto.com 5. Sudden Larger Leaks Typically a feature of urge incontinence, a sudden big leak is not only embarrassing, it’s a signal that your bladder issues may be advancing. In some cases, major leakage points to nerve damage in or around the bladder, possibly from an underlying chronic condition like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or an untreated UTI. On the other hand, it may be a straightforward symptom of OAB that the right medication and exercises can cure. In either case, you don’t have to put up with the worry or humiliation – get your bladder leakage checked out so treatment can get underway. Photo Credit: domdeen / istockphoto.com 6. Weak Urine Stream Well over half the cases of OAB in men can be traced to an enlarged prostate, which is putting pressure on the bladder or interfering with the urethra. In these cases, the sudden urge to urinate can be strong, but you may notice a relatively weak stream when you do go, even if your bladder feels very full. In other cases, the urine stream starts and stops, and you may not feel like you’ve completely emptied your bladder by the end. If the prostate isn’t to blame, your OAB symptoms could be caused bladder stones or another obstruction, so consult your doctor for the appropriate tests. Photo Credit: OcusFocus / istockphoto.com 7. Changes in Your Routine Sometimes symptoms of OAB are less obvious, and your brain begins to adjust your behaviour before you’re even conscious of a bladder problem. For instance, you may have started to scout out restrooms more often, or maybe you’ve avoided some social events for fear of having an accident. If you notice that your bladder issues are on your mind all the time when you’re out and about, you probably have a case of OAB. Instead of trying to ignore the inconvenience, take control with an accurate diagnosis and a good treatment plan, and soon you’ll be feeling much more comfortable in public spaces. If your bladder needs and worries are beginning to interfere with your daily obligations and favorite hobbies, it’s vital that you get the help you need. It can be a little awkward to discuss bathroom habits with anyone, including doctors, but the alternative is worse. If left untreated, many people with OAB will begin to suffer from social isolation, inactivity, and even depression – and these can have far-reaching, long-term consequences for your physical and emotional health. Read more about symptoms of overactive bladder over at NewLife Outlook.

7 Warning Signs of Overactive Bladder

Photo Credit: StudioSandbox / istockphoto.com

3. Getting up at Night to Urinate

Diagnosing Overactive Bladder