7 Surprising Overactive Bladder Treatment Options

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Overactive bladder is a condition where there is a frequent feeling of needing to urinate. This can cause both physical and mental discomfort.  Overactive bladder decreases the quality of your life significantly. Over time overactive bladder can result in urinary incontinence that is an even more annoying health issue. Fortunately, there are more than several methods to help get your bladder issues under control.

Here are 7 working options that can help you improve overactive bladder and increase the quality of your life. 

1. Weight loss

Losing excess weight can be really helpful in relieving overactive bladder and stress incontinence symptoms. If you lose 8 percent of your body mass, you will see remarkable results. Even losing a few pounds can reduce the number of incontinence episodes by 25 percent. When you lose weight, you reduce the pressure on abdominal organs including your bladder. 

2. Kegel exercise

Physical strengthening of pelvic muscles is the first step to fight overactive bladder. You need to make a habit of exercising your bladder every day with kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are more effective for stress incontinence rather than for urge incontinence. Exercises for overactive bladder are more passive. You will set an “urge schedule” and adhere to it. When you feel the urge, you force your bladder to wait a bit. 

3. Botox

While botox isn’t commonly used to treat overactive bladder, it can be really helpful. Botox injection can reduce the number of uncomfortable contractions and increased bladder capacity. The effect of botox injections usually lasts for up to a year after injection. Before the procedure, you need to evaluate all advantages and disadvantages. After the injection, some patients may find that they retain urine too much or experience pain and issues, like urinary tract infections.

4. Diet

Dietary changes can be very effective to increase control over your bladder. While there are a few foods that are good for your bladder, plenty of ingredients can irritate this organ. You need to exclude diuretic beverages like caffeine and alcohol from your diet. These drinks cause your kidneys to produce more urine. It is also crucial to eliminate artificial sweeteners and acidic fruits from the diet to control an overactive bladder. 

At the same time, you need to drink enough water during the day. It may seem contradictory, but poor hydration can lead to constipation and concentrated urine. This can irritate your bladder and increase the urge to urinate. 

5. Antidepressants

Based on your particular symptoms the doctor can suggest antidepressants to help you relieve overactive bladder. Some antidepressants like Tofranil, Tipramine, and Norfranil may suppress overactive bladder symptoms. Certain types of antidepressants work better for stress incontinence than for urge incontinence. Others are known to relax the bladder muscle and reduce bladder contractions.

6. Nerve stimulation

If lifestyle changes and medications appear to be useless on overactive bladder treatment, your doctor may suggest nerve stimulation. This is a minimally invasive procedure that can provide you with long-term relief. Nerve stimulation involves applying a small electronic device to your body. This device sent an electrical impulse to the sacral nerve, which plays a key role in bladder emptying. 

This procedure helps strengthen the supportive muscles of the bladder and improve bladder control. 

7. Supplements

Certain herbal remedies have shown promising results for some people with overactive bladder. A herbal remedy called Gosha-jinki-gan can improve your urgency, leakage, and nighttime urination. The plant called buchu can nourish the bladder tissue and fight inflammation. Inflammation is a major risk factor for infections and incontinence. You need to consult your doctor before adding any herbal remedy to your treatment plan. 

Almost all cases of overactive bladder can be controlled with healthy lifestyle changes or natural and traditional medical treatments. You need to remember that not all of these treatment options work for everyone. It is crucial to discuss with your doctor any of these options before trying them.