HAPPY MORNING CLINIC
Symptoms and treatment of urological conditions in women, including overactive bladder, urinary incontinence and cystitis.
[ Overactive bladder / Incontinence / Cystitis ]
- Stress incontinence
- Mixed incontinence
- Urge incontinence
- Urgency, frequent urination, waking at night to urinate
What is overactive bladder?
There is no inflammation, but you urinate often and may feel a sudden urge that is hard to hold
- Bladder comparison: normal bladder / overactive bladder
- Related to the bladder: urine, urethra
Treating overactive bladder
Treatment for overactive bladder tends to work well when behavioral therapy to change urination habits is combined with medication. Even if it feels inconvenient in daily life, consistent treatment for 3–6 months is needed before results can be seen.
Behavioral therapy
- - Tracking fluid intake, urine volume and how often you urinate
- - Healthy habits of urinating on a set schedule
- - Bladder training: extending the time between urinations by 30 minutes each week, aiming for 4 hours
- - Biofeedback
- - Electrical stimulation
- - Pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercises)
Medication + laser treatment
- - Medication is used to control overactivity of the bladder muscle caused by impaired self-regulation.
- - Anticholinergic or antispasmodic medication is used to suppress bladder contractions, so the bladder can hold urine longer and you may need to go less often.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urine leaks through the urethra without your control
Causes of urinary incontinence
- 01 Weakened muscles around the bladder after childbirth
- 02 Too much urine in the bladder from drinking too much fluid
- 03 Effects of certain medicines or substances such as caffeine
- 04 Diabetes, cancer, or surgery or radiation to the pelvis or prostate
Main types of urinary incontinence
Stress incontinence (also called stress or tension incontinence)
Urine leaks without warning when you sneeze, laugh or exercise
Overactive bladder (urge incontinence, urgency, frequent urination)
The bladder contracts abnormally while it fills with urine made by the kidneys
Treating urinary incontinence
- - Pelvic muscle rehabilitation
- - Kegel exercises
- - Biofeedback
- - Pelvic floor electrical stimulation
- - Behavioral therapy
- - Medication
What is cystitis?
Acute cystitis
A sudden urge to urinate that is hard to hold back, with frequent urination 8 or more times a day
Chronic cystitis
Symptoms vary, come and go, and are usually mild, sometimes with no symptoms at all
A quick check for cystitis symptoms
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder.
- - Pain when urinating
- - Feeling of incomplete emptying
- - Blood in the urine
- - Pelvic pain
How cystitis is treated
- 01 Drinking plenty of fluids to increase urine output.
- 02 It is important to finish all prescribed medication, rather than stopping on your own once symptoms improve.