Overactive Bladder Specialist

What is overactive bladder?

Overactive bladder describes a collection of symptoms, but it’s not a condition or disease itself. The symptoms of overactive bladder commonly include: 

• Powerful, hard-to-control urge to urinate
• Frequent urination, typically at least eight times over a 24-hour period
• Frequently waking up during the night to urinate 

Because the urge to urinate can strike suddenly, it’s fairly common to experience urine leakage, which is called urge incontinence. However, you can have an overactive bladder without experiencing urge incontinence. 

What causes overactive bladder?

An overactive bladder can occur for many reasons, including: 

• Abnormal nerve signaling between the brain and bladder
• Tissue atrophy due to estrogen loss after menopause
• Weakened pelvic floor muscles after childbirth
• Medications and substances that dull nerves
• Urinary tract infections that cause bladder nerve irritation
• Extra weight, which pressures your bladder

While there’s sometimes a clear-cut cause of overactive bladder, there are many situations in which the cause isn’t obvious. Regardless of the root cause of your overactive bladder, your Northeast Ohio Urogynecology provider will work with you to find a solution. 

How is overactive bladder treated?

Northeast Ohio Urogynecology offers effective solutions for overactive bladder relief, including the following in-office treatments:  

Intravesical Botox 

Intravesical Botox involves injection of Botox into the bladder wall muscles. Botox essentially works by attaching to nerve endings and preventing the muscles from contracting too often. This prevents the bladder spasms that cause your symptoms. 

Botox continues working in this way for six months, so you’ll need retreatment twice a year to maintain ongoing symptom relief. 

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation is a neuromodulation treatment to alter the nerve action in your bladder. In this treatment, your provider places a small needle electrode near the tibial nerve in your ankle. 

Mild electrical pulses go into the tibial nerve and then the sacral nerve plexus (which controls your bladder nerve impulses). These impulses can help to improve the way your nerves work over time, thereby lessening your symptoms. You generally need a total of 12 treatments for optimal results. 

There are also other treatment options, such as medication and pelvic floor exercises. Or,  

the MonaLisa Touch® at Northeast Ohio Urogynecology. 

Along with your medical treatments, your provider may recommend lifestyle changes, like scheduled toilet trips, reducing your intake of bladder-irritating substances like caffeine, and losing extra weight. 

To get the caring help you need for an overactive bladder, please reach out to Northeast Ohio Urogynecology in Akron, Ohio, by calling the office or book online today.