Overactive Bladder Specialist
Urologists located in Pasadena, CA
An overactive bladder (OAB) makes you frequently need the bathroom and could cause incontinence. If you have overactive bladder symptoms, visit the experienced team at Pasadena Urological Medical Group in Pasadena, California. They specialize in noninvasive treatments to improve bladder function and relieve OAB symptoms. To find out how you can benefit from the team’s expertise in overactive bladder treatment, call Pasadena Urological Medical Group or book an appointment online today.
Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome causes symptoms such as:
Urinary urgency (the sudden, intense need to urinate) is the primary symptom of an overactive bladder. Urge incontinence can also develop, where you can’t stop urine from leaking before you reach the toilet.
Most patients with an overactive bladder need to urinate frequently during the day. This can also happen at night (nocturia), so you wake repeatedly needing to urinate.
An overactive bladder develops when the nerves and muscles that control your bladder don’t function as they should.
When your bladder is full, it sends nerve signals to your brain, making you want to urinate. When you’re ready, your nerves signal the muscles that normally stop urine from coming out to relax so you can pass urine. Your bladder muscles also contract to push urine down the urethra.
Overactive bladder develops when these nerve signals don’t work properly or your bladder muscles are too active. Even when your bladder contains very little urine, the muscles still contract and make you want to go to the toilet.
Overactive bladder is more common in people who have:
Taking certain medications can also lead to an overactive bladder.
The Pasadena Urological Medical Group team treats men and women with overactive bladders. Their approach begins with behavioral and dietary management to limit or eliminate reliance on medication.
You might need to avoid certain foods if they irritate your bladder. Specific exercises that strengthen the pelvic muscles and behavioral techniques to retrain your bladder can help reduce overactive bladder symptoms.
If these methods don’t work well enough, Pasadena Urological Medical Group also offers neuromodulation therapies.
These use mild electrical impulses to improve nerve function. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) stimulates nerves at the base of your spine that control bladder function. InterStim® is an implantable device that transmits electrical signals to your sacral nerve.
Other potential treatments for overactive bladder include antimuscarinic medications and beta-3-adrenergic agonist drugs. These medications relax your bladder, increase its capacity, improve emptying, and reduce urinary urgency and frequency.
Medical Botox® injections can help by stopping the bladder nerves from triggering muscle contractions.
To find the right treatment for your overactive bladder, call Pasadena Urological Medical Group or book an appointment online today.