Overactive Bladder

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Men
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Overactive bladder is a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time. You may have overactive bladder if you have two or more of these symptoms:

• You urinate eight or more times a day or two or more times at night
• You have the sudden, strong need to urinate immediately
• You leak urine after a sudden, strong urge to urinate

You also may have incontinence, a loss of bladder control. Nerve problems, too much fluid, or too much caffeine can cause it. Often the cause is unknown.

Your doctor may prescribe a medicine that can calm muscles and nerves. The medicine may come as a pill, a liquid, or a patch. The medicines can cause your eyes to become dry. They can also cause dry mouth and constipation. To deal with these effects, use eye drops to keep your eyes moist, chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless hard candy if dry mouth bothers you, and take small sips of water throughout the day.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Overactive Bladder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Bladder Training for Urinary Incontinence (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Kegel Exercises (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Overactive Bladder: Diagnosis and Treatment (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Living With

• Bladder Control: Lifestyle Strategies Ease Problems (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Related Issues

• Urinary Incontinence: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary Bladder, Overactive (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Efficacy of a standardized cranberry supplement on overactive bladder symptoms and...
• Article: The effects of mirabegron and anticholinergic treatment on anterior segment and...
• Article: Piezo1 activation by Yoda1 inhibits mechanosensitive ATP release in human urothelial...
• Overactive Bladder -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Urinary Tract and How It Works (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Men

• Kegel Exercises for Men: Understand the Benefits (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Daily Bladder Diary (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - PDF
• Frequent or urgent urination (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Urge incontinence (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish