Overactive bladder causes are not yet scientifically known (quite unbelievable considering the age we live in); there are however a few factors considered to be worsening the condition, namely alcohol and caffeine. Relatively good news is that there fortunately is various overactive bladder medications and treatment methods which will help eliminate the overactive bladder symptoms which currently have you running to the bathroom day and night!
This article should go a long way in teaching you how to cure an overactive bladder, so hang in there, and lets get started…
Overactive bladder medications “naturally” speaking:
The two main types into which overactive bladders fall are a) natural and b) medical (not discussed in this article).
a) Natural overactive bladder causes are simply in the substances we take in which are considered diuretics. These include but are not limited to tea, coffee, sodas, etc which all contain caffeine, a common diuretic. Diuretics bring about the forming of urine at a much faster rate; causing an increase in the number of times we feel the urgency to urinate. I personally have experienced this; I now drink 2 glasses of water for every cup of tea/coffee and find the need to go dramatically decreased. It may be worth your while to also experiment with drinking less caffeinated beverages.
Alcohol is well-known as a diuretic which is the main reason why people have hangovers the next day after a drinking binge. It is advised that every alcoholic beverage be alternated with a glass of water (or at least some fruit juice if water is a definite no-no alternative) to prevent an overactive bladder (and a hangover for that matter).
I have yet to come across a website related to nutrition or weight loss that does not propose drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. Water is a natural purifier of the urinary tract, and also the best natural stool softener for anyone plagued with constipation.
Like it or not, water unfortunately (or fortunately – depending on how much you appreciate nature’s beverage) is just one of the best overactive bladder natural remedies which costs nothing, and brings welcome relief from the discomfort caused by a full bladder.
A well-known overactive bladder therapy method is known as “bladder drill”. This is where the bladder is trained to get into the habit of holding more urine than currently, by stretching it. For this overactive bladder remedy to be effective, it should be done with the necessary guidance and in consultation with a doctor or nurse. Make sure you have a journal; trips to the toilet must be recorded, as well as how much urine is released with each trip. Training is as follows: Record your “usual” trips to the bathroom for 2-3 days so you can recognize any improvement in the length of periods between visiting the bathroom once training is complete. On the 3rd (or 4th) day, start practicing to hold in the urine for longer before releasing urine. This will be a stretch; try pelvic exercises or sitting on a hard chair in an upright position. Remember to record all trips to the bathroom for comparison with “pre-bladder training” record. Before long, your bladder will have stretched and be trained to hold urine in larger amounts for longer, meaning less trips to the toilet.
There are overactive bladder natural cures which have a calming effect on the bladder whilst strengthening the bladder muscles. One of the best known natural overactive bladder treatments advised on by most is to mix soy germ extract with lipid-free soy germ extract which also assists in keeping your bladder healthy. A clinical study was performed where subjects were given a combination of soybean germ extracts with pumpkin seed in tablet from over a period of six weeks. The subjects experienced healthier urinary tracts within a mere week, with remarkable improvement in the quality of life throughout the six week period.
Overactive bladder medications “medically” speaking:
Overactive bladder drugs belong to the antimuscarinic class of drugs; these medications work by causing the bladder to relax. The overactive bladder medicine of this class include, but is not limited to Trospuim (Sanctura), Darifenacin (Enablex), Oxybutynin (in 3 forms namely Ditropan XL, as an overactive bladder patch and Gelnique, a gel), Tolterodine (Detrol), Solifenacin (Vesicare), etc.
Overactive bladder surgery is a type of overactive bladder treatment which, without doubt, is the most invasive way to get relief from your overactive bladder. When looking for the best in overactive bladder remedies, surgery should be considered a last resort. Options include:
A commonly known method which involves the insertion of an implant into the bladder which assists the bladder in contracting and relaxing in a normal fashion, known as sacral nerve stimulation.
Another surgical method is a procedure known as augmentation cystoplasty which happens when a portion of the small intestine is connected to the bladder head to enlarge the bladder.