Do You Have Overactive Bladder? What You Should Know

Are you constantly rushing to the bathroom, or excusing yourself from multiple situations per day to relieve your bladder? Many people start living on the sidelines of life due the inconvenience of having the urge to urinate frequently. You don’t have to continue to live this way; there are options to help you cope with and to treat your condition successfully.

In people with an overactive bladder (OAB), the layered, smooth muscle that surrounds the bladder (detrusor muscle) contracts spastically, sometimes without a known cause, which results in sustained, high bladder pressure and the urgent need to urinate (called urgency). Normally, the detrusor muscle contracts and relaxes in response to the volume of urine in the bladder and the initiation of urination.

People with OAB often experience urgency at inconvenient and unpredictable times and sometimes lose control before reaching a toilet. Thus, overactive bladder interferes with work, daily routine, intimacy and sexual function; causes embarrassment; and can diminish self-esteem and quality of life.

Urinary Incontinence
Urination (micturition) involves processes within the urinary tract and the brain. The slight need to urinate is sensed when urine volume reaches about one-half of the bladder’s capacity. The brain suppresses this need until a person initiates urination.

Once urination has been initiated, the nervous system signals the detrusor muscle to contract into a funnel shape and expel urine. Pressure in the bladder increases and the detrusor muscle remains contracted until the bladder empties. Once empty, pressure falls, and the bladder relaxes and resumes its normal shape.

Urinary incontinence has recently gained considerable attention in the United States. It is estimated that approximately 10 to 20 million people (10-35% of the U.S. population) are suffering from urinary incontinence. Nearly 50 percent of the institutionalized elderly are incontinent.

The estimated cost of diagnosis and treatment of this group is $15 billion per year. Though these numbers are staggering, about half of incontinent patients do not alert their physician or family members of their problem. Unfortunately, most of these individuals assume nothing can be done for incontinence or feel that leakage is a normal part of aging.

Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine from the bladder. It is important to remember that not all incontinence is the same.

There are several types of incontinence:
• Stress incontinence
• Urge incontinence
• Mixed incontinence
• Overflow incontinence
• Functional incontinence

Correct diagnosis of the type of incontinence is the first and most important step in developing an appropriate and effective treatment plan for incontinence.

Treatment Options
There are numerous treatments available for OAB and Frequent Urination. Depending on the severity of your disorder and the cause, your physician at Advanced Urology Institute will provide you with the best plan of action for your specific treatment.

Below are the most common treatment options:
• Behavioral and Medication Therapy
• Bladder Pacemaker
• Botox Injections into Bladder
• Implanted slings
• Nerve Stimulation

Advanced Urology Institute
A partnership of highly qualified, board-certified urologists practicing in the state of Florida

AUI was developed as a single-specialty physician led organization to respond to the mounting changes in healthcare. Solo-practitioners and small groups cannot keep up with the increased governmental burdens and continue to stay focused on providing the highest level of care to their patients.

We believe that by combining our efforts, geographically disparate Urology groups can function most efficiently and effectively to deliver the highest quality medical care to our patients.

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We Value Patient-Centered, Evidence-Based Care
As a patient, you can be certain that you are a critical member of our treatment team. We will answer your questions and strive to provide the best services and the best care, based on your individual needs, preferences, and choices. AUI Physicians emphasize the use of proven treatment guidelines within our specialty, to optimize clinical decision making. Through our internal measures, our involvement in research studies, and our passion for continuous learning, you can be confident that our treatment team is providing you with the best treatment options.

Please Contact Advanced Urology Institute Today.

239.465.4157
www.advancedurologyinstitute.com