What is an 'overactive bladder'?

What is an 'overactive bladder'?

Jennifer Anger, M.D, M.P.H. (Assistant Professor) gives expert video advice on: What can I do if I can't make it to the bathroom in time to urinate?; What can I do if I lose control of my bladder when I sneeze, cough or laugh?; What can I do if I lose control of my bladder when I lift weights? and more...

An Overactive Bladder includes a spectrum of symptoms that include urinary frequency, or getting up and going to the bathroom frequently, urgency, having the urge to get to the toilet, urgent continence, which is not making it to the toilet, as well as what we call nocturia, getting up at night to pee. It is very common with aging. When people do have overactive bladders we like to check a urinalysis to make sure there's not a urinary infection or blood in the urine which could be indicative of other processes causing the symptoms. This is primarily treated with medication as our first line of therapy in addition to fluid restriction, which is very helpful for people with Overactive Bladder.