Caused from sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder, which results in sustained, high bladder pressure and urgent need to urinate.
The role of the bladder is to store and to empty urine. It should store urine at low pressures allowing for passage of urine easily out of the kidneys, down the ureters into the bladder. It should keep the urine without leaking or bothersome bladder sensations.
When it is a convenient time to urinate, bladder emptying should occur as an easy command from the brain to the bladder. The bladder muscle should contract, the pelvic floor should relax, and the bladder should empty fully.
Interruption of the bladder's functions can lead to irritation, fear of urine loss, poor quality of life, kidney failure, or infection. This article examines several types of bladder disorder along with their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Overactive bladder is a condition that results from sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder is also referred to as urge incontinence.
Overactive bladder becomes much more common as we age, but there are other risk factors that can also increase your chances of developing the condition. These include:
People with cognitive issues such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease may also experience overactive bladder.
Although overactive bladder may occur more frequently with age, it is not a “normal” part of the aging process. If you experience any symptoms of overactive bladder, you should speak with your doctor and have an evaluation to determine the cause as well as possible treatments.
An evaluation for overactive bladder begins with a physical exam and health history as well as a urinalysis to check for signs of infection or other problems. Your doctor may also check your reflexes to determine if any neurological issues may be involved. Other tests include:
Sometimes symptoms of overactive bladder respond to simple treatments. When the simple treatments fail, there are newer technologies that can markedly improve quality of life. In order of simplest to most complex, treatments are:
The role of the bladder is to store and to empty urine. It should store urine at low pressures allowing for passage of urine easily out of the kidneys, down the ureters into the bladder. It should keep the urine without leaking or bothersome bladder sensations.
When it is a convenient time to urinate, bladder emptying should occur as an easy command from the brain to the bladder. The bladder muscle should contract, the pelvic floor should relax, and the bladder should empty fully.
Interruption of the bladder's functions can lead to irritation, fear of urine loss, poor quality of life, kidney failure, or infection. This article examines several types of bladder disorder along with their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Overactive bladder is a condition that results from sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder is also referred to as urge incontinence.
Overactive bladder becomes much more common as we age, but there are other risk factors that can also increase your chances of developing the condition. These include:
People with cognitive issues such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease may also experience overactive bladder.
Although overactive bladder may occur more frequently with age, it is not a “normal” part of the aging process. If you experience any symptoms of overactive bladder, you should speak with your doctor and have an evaluation to determine the cause as well as possible treatments.
An evaluation for overactive bladder begins with a physical exam and health history as well as a urinalysis to check for signs of infection or other problems. Your doctor may also check your reflexes to determine if any neurological issues may be involved. Other tests include:
Sometimes symptoms of overactive bladder respond to simple treatments. When the simple treatments fail, there are newer technologies that can markedly improve quality of life. In order of simplest to most complex, treatments are:
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