You’re going about your day when you suddenly have to go — and you have to go now. Constantly racing to the bathroom without warning is frustrating, embarrassing, and disruptive.
Many people stop taking long car rides, skip social events, and change their lives significantly to avoid an accident. Sound familiar?
That feeling is more than just a minor inconvenience; it’s a common medical condition we call overactive bladder (OAB). Fortunately, you don’t have to live with it.
Our experts at Golden Gate Urology in Berkeley, California, offer expertise and solutions to get you back to life before your bladder disruptions.
OAB causes a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate, often leading to frequent bathroom trips, especially at night. Urge incontinence often accompanies OAB. With urge incontinence, you might leak urine if you can’t make it to the bathroom in time.
You know you have OAB if you:
OAB is more common with age but can affect men and women at any age.
Your kidneys make urine, which drains into your bladder. When urine passes through the bladder, a sphincter muscle in the urethra opens to release urine.
As your bladder fills up, nerve signals trigger the brain that you need to go. When you go, the nerve signals cause the pelvic floor muscles and the urethra muscles to relax, while the bladder muscles tighten and contract to push urine out.
With OAB, the bladder muscles tighten even when the bladder isn’t full. These involuntary contractions cause that gotta-go feeling.
There’s no single cause of OAB or frequent urgency. It’s often a mix of lifestyle, medical, and neurological factors. Common contributors include:
We also link OAB to cognitive decline during aging, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, and taking medicines that trigger urine overproduction.
First, don’t be embarrassed to discuss your issues with us. Our staff is highly trained and compassionate — we listen closely and without judgment.
The best news? Help for OAB comes in many forms, and most don’t involve surgery. Depending on your needs, medical history, and the root cause, we can recommend any of the following:
Small changes go a long way with bladder health. Start by cutting back on bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and spicy and acidic foods. We also recommend limiting your fluid intake in the evening if nighttime urgency is a problem.
Did you know you can retrain your bladder? Scheduling bathroom trips and gradually increasing the time between them can help reduce urgency.
Pelvic floor exercises — you may have heard them called Kegels — strengthen the muscles that control urination and can help you hold urine longer and prevent leaks.
Many pelvic floor therapists go beyond Kegels and focus on strengthening the entire pelvic floor and core to restore bladder health. That’s especially important for postpartum women.
Certain medications relax bladder muscles and reduce constant urges. Treatments like bladder Botox®, nerve stimulation, or sacral neuromodulation (gentle electrical therapy) might help more stubborn cases.
If your bladder interrupts your day, sleep, or peace of mind, we want to talk with you. We evaluate your symptoms, rule out infections or other conditions, and help you develop a personalized treatment plan.
Are you ready to live without worrying about the nearest restroom? Call our friendly staff at 510-255-0013 or schedule your consultation online today.
