The only over-the-counter medication approved for overactive bladder (OAB) is Oxytrol for Women (oxybutynin). It's a patch that's applied to your skin, but it should only be used by women.
Medications that relax the bladder can be helpful for relieving symptoms of overactive bladder and reducing episodes of urge incontinence. These drugs include: Tolterodine (Detrol) Oxybutynin, which can be taken as a pill (Ditropan XL) or used as a skin patch (Oxytrol) or gel (Gelnique)
These medications can calm an overactive bladder and may be helpful for urge incontinence. Examples include oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), tolterodine (Detrol), darifenacin (Enablex), fesoterodine (Toviaz), solifenacin (Vesicare) and trospium chloride.
Mirabegron (marketed as Betmiga® in Australia) is the first drug of this class to be commercially available. Mirabegron works by relaxing the smooth muscle of the bladder to allow the bladder to store urine more easily.
The drug desmopressin (DDAVP) reduces urine production at night.
Diuretics: Medication like bumetanide (Bumex®) and furosemide (Lasix®) assist in regulating how much pee you produce. Desmopressin (DDAVP®): Helps your kidneys produce less pee.
Common causes of these symptoms are: Urinary tract infection (UTI) Enlarged prostate in middle-aged and older men. Swelling and infection of the urethra.
Make an appointment with your doctor if you're urinating more frequently than usual and if: There's no apparent cause, such as drinking more total fluids, alcohol or caffeine. The problem disrupts your sleep or everyday activities. You have other urinary problems or worrisome symptoms.
Sudden stress (pressure) on your bladder causes stress incontinence. Common causes include coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting and physical activity. Younger and middle-aged women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) near or experiencing menopause are most likely to have stress incontinence.
A study done on vitamin c intake in 2060 women, aged 30-79 years of age found that high-dose intake of vitamin c and calcium were positively associated with urinary storage or incontinence, whereas vitamin C from foods and beverages were associated with decreased urinary urgency.
Most people need to pass urine about six to seven times in a 24-hour period. Peeing more than seven times a day when drinking about 2 liters of fluid is considered urinary frequency. Needing to pee 20 times a day would be considered frequent urination.
Feeling as if you need to pee right after you pee is a symptom of a urinary tract infection. It could also happen if you consume bladder irritants like alcohol, coffee, or chocolate. Frequent urination can also be a symptom of conditions like interstitial cystitis or pelvic issues.
If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, this can be a sign of kidney disease. When the kidneys filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate. Sometimes this can also be a sign of a urinary infection or enlarged prostate in men.
You may pass urine more often than usual because of: Infection, disease, injury or irritation of the bladder. A condition that causes your body to make more urine. Changes in muscles, nerves or other tissues that affect how the bladder works.
Drink plenty of fluids during the day (especially water), but limit fluids 2-4 hours before you go to sleep. Be sure to limit alcohol and caffeine (soda, tea and coffee). Manage your use of diuretics. If you have to take a diuretic, then do so at least 6 hours before you go to sleep.
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common cause of frequent urination. These are bacterial infections in your bladder, urethra or other parts of your urinary tract. They include cystitis (bladder infection), urethritis (infection of the urethra) and pyelonephritis (kidney infection).
Drinking too much fluid during the evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night include: Infection of the bladder or urinary tract.
For most people, the normal number of times to urinate per day is between 6 – 7 in a 24 hour period. Between 4 and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet.
Studies have found that low vitamin D levels are linked to overactive bladder. Overactive bladder is characterized by frequent urination, incontinence, nocturia (the need to urinate more than twice per night) and sudden, intense urges to urinate.
Buchu: Buchu has been used for many years as a remedy for a number of health problems. Buchu is said to alleviate symptoms of urinary tract infections and OAB, though it could be that buchu tea is caffeine free, which on its own can help alleviate symptoms of bladder control problems.