The nervous bladder, or overactive bladder, is a type of urinary incontinence, in which the person has a sudden and urgent feeling of urination, which is often difficult to control.
To treat this alteration, there are physiotherapy and electrostimulation techniques, as well as medications such as oxybutynin, tolterodine and darifenacin, for example, to help recover the bladder muscle contraction, which are prescribed by the general practitioner or urologist.
However, there are also homemade alternatives that help to relieve symptoms, such as special exercises for the muscles of the pelvis and herbal teas, such as rosemary.
What are the causes
The overactive bladder is caused by changes in the bladder innervation, which can happen due to neurological diseases, such as paraplegia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke or multiple sclerosis, for example, or by irritation of the urinary tract, by urinary infections, changes in the mucosa by menopause, cancer, calculus or urinary cysts.
These changes make it difficult to control the bladder muscles, which contract at undue hours, often causing loss of urine in clothing. This disease affects more women than men, manifesting, in most cases, from the age of 60, which impairs the quality of life and causes emotional and social disorders.
In addition, during pregnancy, it is common to have symptoms of incontinence, incontinence, due to the increased production of urine during this period and the increased pressure that the uterus puts on the bladder, causing difficulty to control. Find out how pregnancy causes urinary incontinence and what to do.
Symptoms of overactive bladder
The main symptoms of the nervous bladder are:
- 1. Sudden and urgent urge to urinate, without urinary tract infection Yes No
- 2. Frequent urge to urinate and in small quantities Yes No
- 3. Difficulty holding urine Yes No
- 4. Get up more than 1 time during the night to urinate Yes No
- 5. Loss of urine drops after sudden urge Yes No
- 6. Discomfort or pain in the bladder area when urinating, without urinary tract infection Yes No
Often, the symptoms can be associated with the symptoms of stress incontinence, which can also cause urine leakage when making efforts in the abdomen, such as coughing or laughing. In addition, in men over 60, these symptoms may also indicate an enlarged prostate. Know the causes and how to treat an enlarged prostate.
The diagnosis of overactive bladder is made by the general practitioner or urologist, by observing the symptoms and performing a physical examination. Some tests may be necessary to confirm the type of urinary incontinence, such as ultrasound of the urinary tract and urodynamic study, which measures the pressure, flow and action of muscles during urination.
How the treatment is done
For the treatment of overactive bladder, drugs are used to decrease the overactivity of the bladder muscles, such as oxybutynin, tolterodine, darifenacin and fesoterodine, prescribed by doctors, who may also recommend the use of antispasmodics, such as buscopan.
Physiotherapy and electrostimulation are important allies in the treatment, since these techniques provide muscle strengthening and the recovery of brain control over the organ. Botulinum toxin can also be used and its application is made in specific points of the bladder that help to reduce involuntary contractions.
These techniques and medications help to heal and control the nervous bladder, however, depending on the severity of the incontinence or if there is an association with other types of incontinence, the results may be more difficult to achieve. Learn about the different types of urinary incontinence.
Home treatment options
The nervous bladder can be prevented and reduced with some simple and natural measures, among them are:
- Avoid consumption of alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes; Losing weight, which helps to decrease the pressure of the abdomen on the bladder; Whenever you urinate, empty your bladder completely; Do special bladder gymnastics, such as Kegel exercises, which help to strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and prevent urine loss. Learn how to do Kegel exercises; Taking teas with medicinal herbs, such as fennel, rosemary, peppermint and mugwort can alleviate the symptoms, as they have anti-spasmodic properties.
In addition, creating the habit of using the bathroom before you feel like it, at regular intervals, can help control symptoms, starting every hour and increasing the time as you feel safe, trying to reach an interval between 3 to 12 hours. 6 hours.
Controlling anxiety is also important to prevent crises of urinary incontinence, as it worsens and makes bladder control difficult, giving the feeling of being always full.
