An overactive bladder is a disease that is much more common than is commonly thought. About 17% of middle-aged people suffer from this disease. However, only a few are willing to see a doctor with this problem. What should you know about this condition and how can you avoid it?
Reasons for the development of an overactive bladder
An overactive bladder (OAB) is a pathology characterized by strong and sudden urge to urinate, but is not associated with lower urinary tract infections.
Overactive bladder syndrome does not pose a threat to a person’s life, but significantly worsens its quality. Statistics say that both middle-aged men and women are susceptible to this condition. But the fairer sex is more likely to be affected by it at a younger age.
In most cases, the syndrome develops independently and is not associated with other possible pathologies. However, doctors attribute to the reasons influencing the appearance of OAB, the presence of neurological diseases (dementia, Parkinson’s disease), as well as damage to the blood supply to the brain (strokes) and intervertebral hernia of the spinal cord.
Paying attention to the increased urge to urinate, which are becoming chronic, you should undergo appropriate medical examinations. They will exclude infectious diseases, diabetes, benign or malignant formations in the pelvic organs, and urolithiasis. Once an accurate diagnosis has been established, appropriate bladder treatment can begin.
Doctors also pay attention that people who have this pathology often make a number of serious mistakes.
- It is believed that this is a temporary phenomenon.
This is a fundamentally misconception. GMF is a disease that requires mandatory treatment. A urologist is dealing with this delicate problem.
- Self-diagnosis
Often, women mistake the symptoms of this pathology for cystitis and begin an independent, incorrect treatment of the bladder. It not only does not help, but also contributes to the progression of the disease and the increase in the existing discomfort.
- Do not take into account drug effects
In some cases, bladder problems in women may indicate the abuse of antihistamines or diuretics.
Symptoms of an overactive bladder in women
The presence of OAB syndrome seriously complicates a woman’s life. The whole daily routine has to be correlated with the possibility of quick access to the toilet room. Even the sound of pouring water can make you want to use the restroom.
In order to independently assess the scale of the problem, you need to know the main symptoms of an overactive bladder in women. These include.
- Imperative urge
They are characterized by a sharp desire to visit the toilet, without a gradual increase in the need to urinate. It is also possible for uncontrolled urine leakage when a person does not have time to reach the restroom.
- Too frequent urination
It is customary to talk about an increased frequency of urination when the bladder in women is emptied more often than 8 times.
- Feeling of fullness in the bladder
This feeling is one of the most common symptoms of OAB. At the same time, the average daily urine volume remains within normal limits. Usually this amount is equal to one and a half liters.
- Nocturia
This condition is characterized by the predominance of nocturnal diuresis over daytime. Frequent nighttime urination is said when a person makes more than two trips to the toilet per night, interrupting sleep, for a long time.
Having found alarming symptoms, some self-assessment should be done before visiting the appropriate specialist. So, for example, doctors recommend keeping a diary in which data on the features of the urination process will be recorded. They will allow the urologist to get a more complete picture of the patient’s condition and prescribe the required bladder treatment. The records should indicate:
- the total number of urinations (with timestamps);
- the volume of urine each time you use the toilet;
- all episodes of urine leakage with an indication of their cause (jogging, sneezing, coughing , etc.);
- the number of intolerable urge to urinate;
- the amount of liquid consumed per day (including first courses);
- number of sanitary pads used per day.
The diary is filled in throughout the day: from waking up in the morning to going to bed. Night visits to the toilet are reported the next morning. The data should be filled in for at least three consecutive days.