Irritable bladder

Irritable bladder is a condition in which the muscles in the bladder contract involuntarily, resulting in an urgent and uncontrollable need to urinate. What trigs irritable bladder is often difficult to determine but once a cause is identified, the condition can be treated effectively. Irritable bladder is more common in women.

There are several causes of irritable bladder including urinary tract infections, bladder stones, pregnancy, damage to the nerves that control our bladder function, obstruction of the outflow of urine and/or in reaction to a urinary catheter. As mentioned above, it is often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause and that is why it is fairly difficult to prevent this condition from occurring at all.

Doctors can diagnose the condition by a physical examination of the patient and by evaluating the patient’s medical history. A voiding diary, which records the number of times, the amount and circumstances of urination, can also aid in such diagnosis. Other diagnostic techniques include cystometry in which the bladder is catheterized in order to measure the amount of urine that remains after urination and to record the bladder pressure during its filling. Urine culture and microscopic examination can help determine if urinary tract infection is the underlying cause. Cytoscopy and voiding cystogram are some other techniques that may be used to help diagnose the condition.

Once diagnosed, irritable bladder is usually treated with antibiotics. Some patients also benefit from bladder training through which they are trained to schedule their bathroom visits every two hours and the interval is then gradually increased to reach a goal of four-hour intervals. Other drugs that can be prescribed include antispasmodics.

If you have symptoms of irritable bladder, you should consult your healthcare provider to help them determine the cause and treatment for your health condition. Since the condition is treatable, it is important to ensure you get the necessary drugs and training to control the symptoms of irritable bladder.