
An overactive bladder can be traumatic, both emotionally and physically. This is because a person suffering from the condition experiences the urge to visit the bathroom constantly, interrupting the daily ongoings in their life to a huge extent. Instead of worrying, which can only aggravate the condition, you must look for effective treatment options for an overactive bladder. To help you out, we have curated below are a few treatment options that will help you control and overcome the condition gradually.
- Train your bladder
This is a treatment option that does not require any medications and is one of the most common and most recommended treatment options for an overactive bladder. Here, you change the way you are using the bathroom right now. Instead of rushing to the bathroom every time you feel the urge, you urinate at only set times of the day. This is also known as scheduled voiding. By doing this, you learn to control your urge. It could be a few minutes of resistance initially, but slowly you will be able to control your urge, for maybe an hour, between bathroom visits. - Change drinks that you consume and when you drink them
Drinks like coffee, energy drinks, tea, soda, and many others contain a high amount of caffeine, which act as diuretics and compel a person to urinate more. If you have an overactive bladder, you should reduce or even avoid the consumption of such drinks as much as possible. There are several other beverages that may trigger urination. These include cranberry juice, drinks with artificial sweeteners, and several carbonated beverages. You should even try to reduce the consumption of liquids just before going to bed. - Try exercises to stop the flow of urine
Just as other exercises help you strengthen your abs, arms, and several other parts of the body, there are specific exercises that can help you strengthen those muscles which control urination. In this form of training, you take into consideration the right muscles that you should squeeze to halt the flow of urine. This is called biofeedback. Also, you can perform Kegels, a pelvic floor exercise with the help of which you learn to hold, tighten, and relax those muscles which are involved in the flow of urination. - Try medicinal and surgical treatment
Such treatment is given by a doctor who would prescribe medicines to fight an overactive bladder. These medicines block nerve signals, which lead to bladder muscle contraction. If needed, there are a few surgical treatments that may be able to help you cope with the severity of an overactive bladder. Such options include surgeries performed to increase bladder size, vaginal mesh surgery, catheter insertion for overflow management, and many others. It is important to note that surgical options are not commonly prescribed but recommended as a last option only for very particular cases.
An overactive bladder is a condition that affects both the genders. The issue is not age-specific but affects those who near old age more. If treated in time, the patient’s quality of life can be improved.