Overactive Bladder, commonly referred to as OAB, causes a repeated and sudden urge to urinate that may be difficult to control and even involuntary at times. You may feel the need to urinate multiple times during the day and night, and may also experience unintended loss of urine (urgency incontinence)
If you have an overactive bladder, you may feel self-conscious, detach yourself from your surroundings and restrict your work life and/or social life. Fortunately, a short evaluation can establish if there is a particular cause for your overactive bladder symptoms
You can manage the symptoms of your OAB with basic behavioural strategies, such as timed holding, dietary changes, bladder holding techniques using your pelvic floor muscles. These are beginner efforts towards keeping your OAB in check. In case these do not help enough with your overactive bladder symptoms, there are other treatments available in addition.
Causes of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is caused when the muscles of the bladder tighten involuntarily even when the urine volume in the bladder is low. This involuntary tightening leads to an urgent need to urinate and causes frequent urination.
Several conditions may play a part in the causes of frequent urination and thus, an overactive bladder, including
Weak pelvic muscles: Childbirth and pregnancy may cause your pelvic muscles to stretch and become weak, This may cause the bladder to slump out of its usual position. These factors can come together to cause leakage.
Neurological disorders, such as stroke and multiple sclerosis
Diabetes
Nerve damage: There are times when signals are sent to the bladder and brain to empty at the wrong time. Diseases and trauma can cause this to happen, These may include Parkinson’s disease, radiation, herniated disc and pelvic and back surgery.
Medications, alcohol and caffeine can diminish the nerves, which can affect the signals to the brain. This can lead to bladder overflow. Caffeine and diuretics can cause your bladder to fill up faster and possibly leak.
An infection, such as a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) may lead to the irritation of the bladder nerves, causing the bladder to contract and squeeze without warning.
Excess weight, i.e. being overweight puts additional pressure on the person’s bladder. This can result in urge incontinence.
Estrogen deficiency after menopause in women: Such a hormonal change can cause loss of urine due to urgency.
Abnormalities in the bladder, like tumors or bladder stones.
Other factors that obstruct bladder outflow, like constipation, enlarged prostate or operations in the past to treat other forms of incontinence
Symptoms of Overactive Bladder
You may observe the following overactive bladder symptoms if you are suffering from an overactive bladder:
Repeated urination: People experiencing this symptom may feel the need to urinate very often. Usually, it's an increase in the number of times a person urinates as compared to the number before.
Urinary urgency: This is when the person fails in the ability to postpone the urge to urinate.
Urge incontinence: In this case, there may be a leakage of urine when you feel the need to urinate.
Nocturia: This symptom is determined when a person feels the need to get up and urinate at least twice each night.
If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, you may need to consult a doctor. Although it’s common among older people, it is not a normal part of ageing. Discussing your symptoms may feel difficult or embarrassing, but it is necessary if this condition is disturbing your social and/or work life. There are several treatments available to help you.
Medical Treatments
An overactive bladder syndrome is a fairly common condition and there are many treatments available for it. Overactive bladder medication may include:
Nerve stimulations: Nerve stimulations help improve bladder control.
Biofeedback
Bladder retraining
Home Management of Overactive Bladder Syndrome
There are several ways to manage and keep your overactive bladder syndrome in check at home. Some of them are:
Behavioural changes: Behavioural changes such as monitoring your diet, maintaining bowel regularity, keeping a log, drinking non-irritating fluids and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep the symptoms of an overactive bladder in check.
Pelvic floor exercises: Strengthening the pelvic floor using Kegel exercises is helpful in keeping your overactive bladder syndrome in control.
How Friends Adult Diapers Can Help with your Overactive Bladder Syndrome
Friends’ Adult Diapers can be your best friend and saviour while dealing with something difficult like an overactive bladder. Friends’ Adult Diapers help you break your shackles to your toilet. Friends’ Adult Diapers:
Are affordable, so you don’t burn a hole in your pocket.
Offer up to 16+ hours of protection, so you don’t have to worry about diaper changes on long work trips or hangouts with friends and family.
Have a wetness indicator, so no more embarrassing accidents.
Have an odour lock to help you avoid emitting any odour
Friends’ Adult Diapers are the makers of India’s no. 1 leak-proof elderly diapers. Friends have over twenty years of experience in using innovation and technology to solve all bladder and continence related issues. Here’s why Friends Adult Diapers are the best fit for you:
Zero leaks: Friends diapers for the elderly are made with high quality imported Super Absorbent Polymer. This Super Absorbent Polymer instantly converts liquid to gel, locking it within the diaper giving the wearer a quick, leakproof and dry feel.
Comfort fit: Friends unisex adult diapers are extremely soft, super-sleek and highly absorbent. This combination ensures that users can wear them for long hours, be it for entire days out, long work trips or a good night’s sleep,
Skin-safe: We understand how sensitive your skin is. Most inhibitions against diapers are because people believe their skin might not be able to handle them. That is exactly why Friends Diapers for the elderly are anti-bacterial and aloe-vera treated. The special anti-bacterial layer protects you from infections while the goodness of aloe vera keeps away rashes, itching and redness.
Sleep-friendly: Friends Overnight Adult Diapers are designed to absorb liquid for up to 16 hours. This makes sure that users can get up to 12 hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep free of leaks, stains and constantly getting up for bathroom breaks.
Friends’ Adult Diapers are designed for the Indian body type and climate and made with the best materials and technology imported from all over the world. The makers of Friends’ Adult Diapers, Nobel hygiene, are an undisputed leader in elderly diapers and are the only Indian manufacturers of both baby and adult diapers. Friends Diapers have been a market leader in the category since their launch in 2000 and are committed to providing our consumers with the best quality products and a wide range of features. Our products are easy to use and not only help the consumers manage their incontinence better but also provide them with top-class comfort.
