For patients who are overweight, losing weight may improve the symptoms of overactive bladder. Excess weight increases pressure on the bladder, which can cause overactive bladder. And obesity often decreases blood flow and nerve activity, which also leads to issues with bladder control.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that for women in an intense weight loss group who lost an average of eight percent of their body weight, their incontinence episodes decreased by 47 percent. Even a small amount of weight loss may help your symptoms. And controlling your weight may even eliminate your issues with overactive bladder. Losing weight in your midsection will decrease pressure on your bladder.
Overactive bladder is a common condition, and most patients respond quickly to treatment. At Arkansas Urology, our experts provide the latest treatments in an environment designed to make our patients feel comfortable discussing sensitive medical conditions.
Signs of overactive bladder include:
-Getting up to urinate frequently at night
-A sudden urge to urinate
-Leaking urine
-Wetting accidents
-Urinating frequently during the day
Obesity is only one of the causes of overactive bladder. Other causes include infections, muscle weakness, nerve damage, drinking caffeine or alcohol, and side effects from using a medication.
To help your doctor provide a diagnosis, keeping a bladder diary for a few days can help track your symptoms.
Did you drink anything before you were incontinent? How much? What did you drink? How long between consumption of the beverage and the leakage?
What were you doing right right before your episode of incontinence? Were you active or resting? Did you sneeze or cough?
In addition to losing weight, overactive bladder symptoms can improve through behavior modification, doing exercises or taking a medication. Some patients may be candidates for minimally invasive surgical procedures to relieve their symptoms.
After your provider takes your medical history and performs a medical exam, some additional tests may be needed to ensure you are diagnosed correctly. After your condition is diagnosed, you’ll often have a choice of different treatment plans so that you can choose the option that works best for you and your lifestyle.
At Arkansas Urology, we’re here for you. Our patients’ health has been and will always be our top priority! Are you experiencing any symptoms of overactive bladder? Contact us today to schedule your appointment, or book your appointment online.
