Have you always thought your bladder was “small"?

If you wee more than 7 x a day or get a sudden urge to go, you may have overactive bladder syndrome!

What is overactive bladder? - OAB

Defined as urinary urgency or the frequent need to urinate.

Overactive Active Bladder - OAB

This condition is particularly anxiety producing because of the uncertainty it causes.

“Where is the closest toilet? What if I leak here in this queue? Will I wear pads every time I leave the house now? Is there an odour to me?”

So, what would physio involve?

Your physio would look at:

• The pelvic floor muscles: are they overly tight from holding on all the time and affecting their ability to inhibit the bladder contractions when getting the urge to wee

• Poor urethral closing pressure: if a drop enters the urethra, the urethra can open and therefore give you another silly urge to go

• Bowel dysfunction: if you are constipated the full rectum can cause pressure on the bladder and make it more difficult to hold on;

• The brain: if you have stress or anxiety associated with weeing, your bladder overactivity can be made worse.

• Diet: Certain drinks or dehydration can irritate the bladder and make it difficult to hold on.

  
  So your physio treatment will incorporate management of all of these different problems. If you are experiencing any symptoms of OAB we highly encourage you to book an appointment with our women’s health physiotherapist who will help undergo a thorough assessment and subsequently help you get on top of these issues before they get any worse!