Brochure creation

Overactive Bladder

What is an overactive bladder? An overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is defined as urinary urgency, usually with frequency, nocturia, and with or without urinary incontinence (Daly et al., 2021). First line treatments include lifestyle changes, bladder training, pelvic floor exercises in mixed urinary incontinence and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women (Daly et al., 2021). OAB is a common and chronic condition that affects more than 11% of women, with prevalence in aging (Davidson et al., 2022). Patients with OAB have been shown to have lower quality of life and higher rates of depression and an increased rate of anxiety compared with women without OAB (Davidson et al., 2022).

Managing your overactive bladder

Adherence to treatment

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a disorder in which the bladder cramps and causes a sudden and strong need to urinate accompanied by or without incontinence; sometimes, these urges may lead to uncontrolled urine leakage (Chen et al., 2021). Adherence to treatment is essential in preventing urinary urgency and incontinence. Avoid drinking water before bed. Avoid spicy foods. Perform pelvic floor or Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles.

Natural remedies

Cinnamon is a known traditional natural Chinese remedy used to treat nocturia by tonifying and warming the kidneys (Chen et al., 2021). Chen et al. (2021) found that OAB patients treated with cinnamon powder showed significantly improved OAB symptoms without substantial side effects.

Medications and medical interventions

Medications used to treat OAB may be prescribed and include anticholinergic or beta-3-agonist medications (Davidson et al., 2022). Transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) is a non-invasive, treatment for OAB; it prevents bladder muscle activity through cells activated by nerves originating in the lower limb through the tibial nerve (Daly et al., 2021).

References

Chen, L.-L., Lee, M.-H., Chang, C.-L., Liou, K.-T., Liu, S.-H., Chern, C.-M., Chen, H.-I., Shen, Y.-C., & Wang, Y.-H. (2021). Suppression of Inflammatory and Fibrotic Signals by Cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) and Cinnamaldehyde in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Overactive Bladder in Mice. Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (ECAM), 1–13. https://doi-org/10.1155/2021/5205759

Daly, C. M. E., Loi, L., Booth, J., Saidan, D., Guerrero, K., & Tyagi, V. (2021). Self-management of overactive bladder at home using transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation: a qualitative study of women’s experiences. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi-org/10.1186/s12905-021-01522-y

Davidson, E. R. W., Miceli, L., & Propst, K. (2022). Why Patients Fall Through the Cracks: Assessment of Patients’ Overactive Bladder Treatment. Journal of Women’s Health (15409996), 31(9), 1314–1319. https://doi-org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0635