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Bladder & Bowel Control Treatment

March 25th at 6:00 PM with Dr. Christopher Kim

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Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Diagnosis and Treatment Options from Georgia Urology

Overactive Bladder (OAB) is Common, Abnormal But Treatable Condition

Overactive Bladder (OAB) is a type of bladder-control problem that occurs in both men and women and can negatively affect the overall quality of your life. Although OAB affects approximately 33 million Americans, many people are reluctant to talk about it. Some think having an overactive bladder is a natural part of aging. While the symptoms of OAB may occur more often as people age, that does not mean it has to be a normal part of aging. For many, an overactive bladder does not have to interfere with their life.

Symptoms of OAB

There are four main symptoms of an overactive bladder:

  • Urgency: sudden uncontrollable overwhelming urge to urinate
  • Frequency: the need to urinate often
  • Urge Incontinence: leakage that follows an urge to urinate
  • Nocturia—the need to urinate often at night

These symptoms may occur daily or may be sporadic.

How Is OAB Diagnosed?

  • Bladder diary: a useful tool to record your intake, output, frequency, and leakage. Click here to fill out
  • Bladder Survey to evaluate the impact of OAB on quality of life and determine if treatment is working.
  • Urinalysis to test for infection, traces of blood, and other abnormalities.
  • Cystoscopy is not performed routinely unless we suspect bladder cancer or if the patient is experiencing bladder pain (to rule out kidney stones or interstitial cystitis) or significant obstructive symptoms.
  • Urodynamics (bladder pressure studies) that measure bladder function.
Send Us Your Bladder Diary   Fill Out Your Bladder Survey

Upcoming Free OAB Webinars

If you are having bladder or bowel accidents and find yourself planning your life around the bathroom, you are not alone.

Join us for upcoming webinars to learn about causes, symptoms, and treatment options for bladder and bowel concerns, including Urinary Incontinence and Overactive Bladder.

Register for our free online presentation with time for an anonymous Q&A session.

March 25th with Dr. Christopher Kim

Causes & Risk Factors

OAB symptoms can stem from various factors, including UTIs, hormonal changes, medications, urinary blockages, and, in rare cases, neurologic disorders. Since pinpointing a single cause is often difficult, evaluation and treatment follow a stepwise approach. Risk factors can include:

Treatment Options

Your place in the OAB Pathway will determine what options may be best for you. Based on your symptoms and if you are not satisfied with conservative treatment results, advanced options may be appropriate, including Botox® for the bladder, percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, and sacral neuromodulation.

Step 1:

Conservative treatment for overactive bladder focuses on lifestyle changes, behavioral modifications, and medications to help manage symptoms before considering advanced therapies. We will work with you on:

  • Behavioral Modification/Education
  • Bladder Training
  • Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
  • Bladder Control Strategies
  • Fluid Management
  • Medication

Step 2:

Reevaluation occurs after a 6 to 12-week trial of conservative treatment. This helps us assess progress and determine if further interventions are needed. Urodynamics and cystoscopy may be utilized to better assess the underlying cause.

  • If symptoms improve: Continue conservative management with periodic visits.
  • If partial improvement: Adjust current strategies (e.g., change medication and/or dosage, adjust pelvic floor therapy, modify bladder training) and consider advanced therapies.
  • If no improvement or worsening: Consider escalating to advanced therapies like Botox® injections and nerve stimulation like PTNS or Sacral Neuromodulation.

Step 3:

When behavioral modifications, pelvic floor exercises, lifestyle adjustments, and medications fail to provide relief, several advanced treatment options are available. These minimally invasive procedures have an excellent track record in improving bladder control. Treatment choice depends on the severity of symptoms, a patient’s overall health, and preference. Therapies include:

Other Types of Incontinence

It is possible to have more than one type of incontinence at one time. Other types of incontinence can include:

  • Stress incontinence—urine leaking during physical activity or with sudden exertion such as sneezing, coughing, straining, laughing, etc.
  • Mixed incontinence—urine leaking after sudden urges due to OAB, as well as during physical activity
  • Non-obstructive urinary incontinence— difficulty with or an inability to completely empty the bladder
  • Accidental bowel leakage—an inability to control bowel movements which includes unexpected leaks and frequent trips to the bathroom

Each condition may be treated separately.

Discussing OAB with your physician can be the first step to getting help. Our dedicated team of medical professionals is committed to helping you on your personal journey through our OAB Treatment Pathway to help you obtain the highest bladder health possible. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of OAB, contact us today for help!

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