Has your life come to revolve around your toilet seat?
Do small things such as buying groceries or walking in the park make you break out in a cold sweat?
Do you sometimes feel like you are becoming a burden on your loved ones?
Baburao Yadav says, “Too many problems in old age. Can’t even go to the temple… My grandkids don’t come play with me. They say I stink. I rush to the bathroom so many times, but it always leaks out. Pressure toh aisa mano bas pralay aane wala ho!”
Baburao Yadav is going through peeing too frequently because he has an Overactive Bladder. Let us find out what it means.
WHAT IS AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER?
Overactive Bladder or OAB is a condition in which the person frequently feels such an intense and sudden need to urinate that they might not be able to hold it in for long enough to reach a toilet. This leads to them passing urine in their pants, also called urinary incontinence. It is unintentional and sometimes even unconscious.
This condition is common in people from the older generation, more so in women. Sometimes, it runs in families. Or, if you have given birth, you might be suffering from this.
Due to muscle damage, the bladder's nerve stops functioning correctly, which causes you to pass urine so much. This could be because you have had:
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Surgery
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Pelvic trauma
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Abdominal trauma
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Bladder stones
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Side effects of taking a drug
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Drinking heavily, etc.
The easiest and most effective way to manage an overactive bladder is to wear adult diapers. Friends have a range of adult diapers that fit your needs. Friends Adult Diapers are made for people who don't want to be shackled to their toilet anymore. We make diapers that are 100% sulphur, paraben and bleach-free. They mask the odour, don't let the urine pool or spill out and give you a dry feel through and through. With Friends Adult Diapers, Azadi Mubarak to you!
SYMPTOMS OF AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER
Keeping an eye on these overactive bladder symptoms could help you treat overactive bladder effectively:
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Wetting your bed
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Dribbling small amounts of pee
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Uncontrollable urge to pass urine
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Loss of urine that is unintentional
HOW TO CONTROL AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER?
Controlling an overactive bladder might require patience, but some of these practices are so simple you would not even tire after doing them. These could double as your 'overactive bladder home remedies' or 'overactive bladder self-care' since you don't require anybody's help to perform these. Check them out:
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Eating – Dil ka rasta pet se hokar guzarta hai; well, the cure for overactive bladder is directly related to your tummy. Stop eating spicy, oily, junk food. You will see the results for yourself.
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Drinking – The gravel-voiced man who has cried himself hoarse, warning us of the dangers of alcohol, wasn't lying. Alcohol irritates your bladder, making you rush to the bathroom repeatedly. Quit it all together, or let's keep it in moderation.
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Sex – This is a win-win for you and your bladder for apparent reasons. Sexual activity keeps your pelvic floor muscles strong. Your pelvic floor muscles help your bladder keep the pee in till you find a bathroom. See what we meant?
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Bladder training – You can train your bladder by scheduling your trips to the bathroom. The next time you feel the pressure building, you can try to hold it for a few minutes in a place that can be easily cleaned if accidents happen. In this way, keep increasing the time and train your bladder to hold in pee for longer.
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Journaling – Keep a diary to write down how frequently you use the bathroom. Ideally, your bathroom breaks should not exceed more than seven times a day. If they do, you can get things checked out just in case anything is wrong.
In this diary, write down what you have been having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So you can keep track of foods that irritate your bladder and steer clear of them the next time around.
TREATMENT FOR OVERACTIVE BLADDER
If you go to the bathroom too frequently or the incontinence has disrupted your quality of life, you should visit a doctor. Your doctor may want to perform a number of tests to find out how to cure overactive bladder issues you have been facing. These include:
- Cystometry – a test to check your bladder pressure
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Measuring your urine flow rate to see how quickly your bladder empties itself
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They may want to see how much urine remains in your bladder after using the bathroom.
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A pelvic test for women
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They may ask you to give your urine sample to check for infections, blood or other issues.
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Checking to see if you have any sensory problems
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They may advise you to perform overactive bladder exercises daily to help keep everything down there, firm and strong.
Your doctor is most likely to recommend you to wear Friends Adult Diapers till the problem is solved or controlled. Friends has a range of options to help you choose what fits your needs best. The top surface is super-soft and absorbent, elastic doesn't dig into your sides, and you are rashes, irritation and stress-free all day long. Happy freedom!
Experiencing incontinence can be especially hard since people look on it as a terrible shame. We fail to understand the psychological impact it has on the patients going through this condition. Even if we can't help them in any other way, we can be kind. Just being kind will go a long way in helping people suffering from incontinence feel welcomed and accepted.
