Symptoms
If you have an overactive bladder (OAB) you may experience a frequent, intense and urgent need to urinate. In some cases, it’s so sudden that you have trouble making it to the bathroom in time.
OAB is caused by involuntary bladder contractions and is characterised by a group of four symptoms:
Getting help
OAB can turn your world upside down but can be managed with the appropriate treatment. You should take the first step of approaching your GP to determine whether the symptoms you are experiencing are due to overactive bladder or another condition, and to decide which treatment is the best.
Diagnosis
You might feel embarrassed discussing such a private matter with your doctor, but it's worthwhile to take that step and seek help, particularly if your symptoms are disrupting your daily activities. The diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB) is made primarily on the person's signs and symptoms and by ruling out other possible causes such as an infection. The more information you have for the doctor about your symptoms, the more straightforward it will be to make a diagnosis.
You may be asked to answer questions about patterns of passing urine; daily fluid intake; if you are taking any medications and/or supplements that might be contributing to your problem and to discuss any significant medical conditions you may have. Your doctor may also talk to you about the severity of the problem, if it causes you any inconvenience or embarrassment, and possibly suggest that you keep a bladder diary recording your bathroom trips. A bladder diary is available to download in our downloadables section.
The doctor may also perform a urinalysis, which is a simple test that can help find the cause of symptoms by checking a sample of urine for glucose, blood or infection.
A minority of people may require referral to a specialist for further tests. These may include urodynamic testing, which is usually carried out as an outpatient procedure in a hospital. Urodynamic5 testing may involve measuring the pressure inside the bladder while the bladder is being filled. It can assess the bladder’s ability to hold urine and empty steadily and completely, and also whether the bladder is having involuntary contractions that cause urine leakage.