Overactive Bladder: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

What it is

With overactive bladder, the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time. You may have it if you have two or more of these:

• urinating eight or more times a day, or two or more times at night;
• a sudden, strong need to urinate right away;
• leaking urine after a sudden, strong urge.

You may also have incontinence — loss of bladder control.

Causes

Nerve problems, too much fluid or too much caffeine can cause it, but often the cause is unknown.

Treatment

Your doctor may prescribe a medicine to calm muscles and nerves, as a pill, liquid or patch.

Side effects and how to handle them:

Sources

Based on "Overactive Bladder," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; a work of the United States government in the public domain.