Active Bladder

Causes of Active Bladder

With an overactive bladder, many individuals experience frequent sudden urges to urinate both during the day and during the night. An overactive bladder is a condition that causes an unexpected and the relentless need to urinate. One may not be able to hold their urine until they get to a bathroom. An overactive bladder is very common in older adults, although it can happen at almost any age. An overactive bladder can make it hard to do many things due to the overwhelming need to drop everything to race to the bathroom. This can really disrupt life. With an overactive bladder, there is the possibility of the unintentional loss of urine, which can be embarrassing. However, not every person who has an overactive bladder experiences incontinence.

Having an overactive bladder can cause other problems, as well. Having to rush to the bathroom can lead to falling causing broken bones. It can additionally cause sleep issues, infections of the urinary tract and depression. Many individuals shy away from discussing an overactive bladder with their doctor, but it is controllable and it can get better with treatment.

Reasons and Causes

Abrupt involuntary tightening of a muscle in the bladder results in the bladder being overactive. An overactive muscle in the bladder causes an overactive bladder by the muscle pushing the urine out. Typically, muscle spasms of the bladder produce a strong need to urinate is the reason for an overactive bladder. It is primarily a problem of the muscles and nerves problem. Many various things cause the muscle to become overactive. The common abnormalities of the nervous system are reasons such as dementia, strokes and multiple sclerosis. Other common causes include some medications, stress, a bladder infection and other medical conditions. Many times the reasons are just simply unknown.

Main Symptoms

• The immediate need to urinate
• The need to urinate frequently
• Having to urinate two times or more during the night
• Having to urinate even though you have just went to the bathroom
• Making frequent trips to the bathroom and only urinating a little each time
• Leaking when you have the urge to urinate
• Treatments and Controlling an Overactive Bladder

The overactive bladder can have a major effect on every aspect of life. It can force people to avoid public events, evenings out, trips and time with family. Fortunately, treatments are available to combat this condition. Many different approaches can be taken from behavioral changes to medications or a combination of both. Bladder training is a common natural treatment. This approach teaches an individual with an overactive bladder to manage the urge to go by waiting. There are also pelvic exercises that an individual with an overactive bladder can do to strengthen the muscles that are responsible for controlling urination. Another technique available to strengthen the pelvic muscles is electrical stimulation.

There are medications and treatments available that combat an overactive bladder. They work by blocking the nerve signals related to muscle contractions. Research has suggested that these medications may even possibly increase the capacity of the bladder and reduce the urge. Additionally, some promising potential new treatments for this condition on the horizon, but are still in the research stage.