common

Overactive bladder

Overactive (OAB) is a common condition where there is a frequent feeling of needing to urinate to a degree that it negatively affects a person's life. Overactive bladder is characterized by a group of four symptoms: urgency, frequency, nocturia, and urge incontinence.

Underlined words are explained — tap any of them.

Symptoms — what it feels like

·Frequent feeling of needing to urinate, incontinence

Causes — why it happens

·Old age; detrusor muscle injury; over-consumption of water and caffeine; UTI; injury

How it's found

·Based on symptoms after ruling out other possible causes

Treatment

· floor exercises, training, drinking moderate fluids, weight loss, medications, Botox,

Complications

·UTIs, anxiety

Outlook

·Often but not always incurable

More in Bladder & Urinary

Urinary tract infection Bladder cancer Urinary incontinence Enlarged prostate (BPH)Prostatitis Interstitial cystitis Urethritis Neurogenic bladder Vesicoureteral reflux Urethral stricture Bladder stones Hypospadias

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Plain-language summary adapted from Wikipedia. Not medical advice.