Overactive bladder, also known as OAB, is a condition that scores of people deal with on a daily basis. Fortunately, several treatments can help people with overactive bladders to lead more normal, less-frustrating lives. The top three treatment options for overactive bladder are medication, diet and exercise, and most people use a combination of the three to manage and reduce their OAB symptoms. Do you suffer from overactive bladder, or do you have a loved one who does? If you haven't seen a doctor, you should schedule an appointment immediately, as OAB symptoms can stem from various health conditions ranging from simple infections to kidney problems or cancer. That said, most forms of OAB are non-serious and easily treated. Read on for questions and answers about today's top-rated OAB treatment options.
There are a few ways you can treat overactive bladder without the use of medications. Dietary changes and exercises are the best ways to approach this. This is because weight plays a huge factor into this because it can cause urinary stress. By losing weight you will be taking some of that stress off the muscles and helping to make the symptoms reduce or go away completely.
There are several drugs on the market that your doctor can prescribe for overactive bladder. These fall into a few different categories- anticholinergic drugs which block acetylcholine involved in muscle contractions of the urinary system, Beta-3 adrenergic drug which relaxes the bladder wall so it can hold more urine, and anti-spasmodic drug which work by reducing muscular spasms. Your doctor can help you discover which one will work best for you.
You will want to cut out several foods to help you find a system that is more regular for you. Citrus and tomatoes are known to upset the urinary tract. Along with this spicy foods can also cause problems. There is also an issue with spicy foods.
While any exercise is helpful because they help you to lose weight, kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These are easy to perform and can be done just about anywhere you are. You simply want to contract the pelvic floor muscles and holding for a few seconds before releasing.
It is also a good idea to understand what causes overactive bladder. One of the biggest concerns with this is simply age. The muscles can weaken as a person ages making them more susceptible to overactive bladder. It can also be common with an infection. Also, some people deal with this condition because of other conditions they have, such as Parkinson's disease.
Even if you use all three methods of treating overactive bladder, you should still have an idea of what you can do to help avoid leaks. Most people use either an adult diaper or a urinary incontinence pad to help them get through the day or night.
Another interesting find in the medical world is off label medicinal uses. This refers to drugs that are designed to treat one problem but have been found to treat something else. In this case, doctors have had success with using antidepressants to treat overactive bladder.