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Women's Pelvic Floor & Incontinence Center
Standard For Patient Care
Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Overactive Bladder (OAB) Treatment in Denver
Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition that causes various urinary symptoms in both women and men. These symptoms can range from bothersome, such as a frequent need to urinate, to significant, such as anxiety or isolation due to worrying about urinary accidents.
OAB often results from a “hyperactive” bladder wall — when the bladder walls contract involuntarily and excessively. At the Women’s Health Group, we understand the frustration and embarrassment that an overactive bladder can cause. We are here to help diagnose your condition and provide treatment that will allow you to comfortably enjoy life again.
Symptoms of Overactive Bladder
Sudden urge to urinate
Urinary incontinence
Frequent urination
Nocturia (waking up 2+ times a night to urinate)
Causes of Overactive Bladder
Understanding the cause of overactive bladder is essential to recommending the appropriate treatment. We provide a thorough physical exam, which allows us to get to know you, learn more about your symptoms, and uncover how we can best treat your condition. There are several potential causes of overactive bladder, including:
- Urinary tract infection: A UTI can cause inflammation in the bladder and lead to symptoms of overactive bladder.
- Bladder irritation: Certain substances, such as caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods, can irritate the bladder and cause overactive bladder.
- Neurological conditions: Certain neurological conditions, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, can cause overactive bladder.
- Bladder cancer: In rare cases, overactive bladder can be a symptom of bladder cancer.
- Enlarged prostate: In men, an enlarged prostate can cause overactive bladder by blocking the flow of urine.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy can cause the bladder to become overactive due to the increased pressure on the bladder from the growing uterus.
- Constipation: Constipation can put pressure on the bladder and cause overactive bladder.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Overactive Bladder
We offer several different treatment avenues to address overactive bladder. We often begin with conservative management techniques, which can include fluid restriction, limiting irritating foods and beverages (e.g. spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol), scheduled urination, and pelvic floor exercises. If there is little to no improvement, there are several medications we can try.
In some cases, further testing may be necessary. We use a procedure known as cystoscopy to examine the inside of your bladder and urethra. This helps guide our therapy plan. Depending on the results, we may consider advanced treatment options such as:
- Bulkamid: This treatment delivers a urethral bulking agent to provide patients a minimally-invasive way to control urinary incontinence.
- Sling Outpatient Surgery: This procedure uses a sling that supports the urethra like a hammock to prevent leakage with activity.
- Botox® Bladder Injections: Botox relaxes the bladder muscles and provides patients with more time to reach the bathroom when they need to urinate.
- Urgent PC PTNS Office Session: We deliver electrical nerve stimulation for 12 weeks to control the symptoms of OAB.
- eCoin Tibial Stimulator Procedure: This device is inserted into a patient’s leg and uses electrical signals to communicate with nerves that control the urge to urinate.
- Sacral Neuromodulation: This offers a highly-effective, reversible method of treating urinary incontinence resulting from overactive bladder. The device uses electrical signals to the sacral nerves, improving bladder function.
