If you experience sudden, overwhelming urges to urinate that are difficult to control, or if you’re rushing to the toilet to avoid accidents, you may have an overactive bladder. This common condition affects millions of women and can significantly impact your quality of life, but effective treatments are available.
At The Women’s Health Vulvo-Vaginal & Genitourinary Clinic, we specialise in diagnosing and treating an overactive bladder. Our team can help you regain control and confidence.
You may have an overactive bladder if you experience:
If this sounds familiar, it’s time for a specialist assessment.
The detrusor muscle in the bladder contracts involuntarily, creating sudden, strong urges to urinate even when the bladder isn’t full.
Problems with the nerves that control the bladder can cause overactive bladder symptoms. This can be related to neurological conditions or damage.
Weak or tight pelvic floor muscles can contribute to urgency and urge incontinence.
Low oestrogen levels after menopause can affect bladder control and contribute to OAB symptoms.
Whilst OAB is not a normal part of ageing, it becomes more common as we get older due to changes in bladder muscle and nerve function.
Excess weight puts additional pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor, worsening OAB symptoms.
Caffeine, alcohol, acidic foods, and artificial sweeteners can irritate the bladder and worsen symptoms.
Straining and pressure from constipation can affect bladder function.
Conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke can affect bladder control.
We’ll discuss:
A careful examination can help:
When needed, we may perform:
Treatment for an overactive bladder is typically approached in stages:
A: No, they are different conditions. An overactive bladder causes urgency and urge incontinence (leaking when you can’t reach the toilet in time), whilst stress incontinence causes leaking with coughing, sneezing, or exercise. Some women have both.
A: Not necessarily. Many women improve with behavioural modifications and pelvic floor physiotherapy alone. If medication is needed, some women can eventually reduce or stop it once symptoms are controlled.
A: Yes, bladder retraining is highly effective for many women with OAB. It involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits to retrain the bladder to hold more urine and reduce urgency.
A: No, restricting fluids can make symptoms worse. The goal is to drink an appropriate amount (about 1.5-2 litres per day) and time your intake appropriately, avoiding large amounts before bed.
A: No, whilst OAB becomes more common with age, it is not a normal part of ageing and should not be accepted as such. Effective treatments are available at any age.
