Overactive bladder syndrome

« Talk to me about health » What is overactive bladder syndrome?

Overactive bladder syndrome occurs when the bladder muscle contracts suddenly and spontaneously even if the bladder is not full. It can also be accompanied by urinary leakage.

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What are the causes of overactive bladder syndrome?

The causes of overactive bladder syndrome are not always known. However, several factors can contribute to the development of the condition:

• Another medical condition (e.g., a urinary tract infection, diabetes);
• Damage to the bladder (e.g., tumor, bladder stones);
• A neurological disease (e.g., a stroke (CVA), multiple sclerosis, etc.);
• An obstruction to urination (e.g., benign prostatic hypertrophy, constipation, etc.);
• Hormonal changes (e.g., menopause);
• Difficulty completely emptying the bladder;
• Medication use;
• Consuming beverages that can irritate the bladder (e.g., coffee, tea, alcohol, soft drinks);
• Decline in physical and/or cognitive abilities.

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What are the symptoms of overactive bladder?

The following symptoms should be monitored:

• Frequent need to urinate (more than 8 times a day);
• Needing to urinate 2 or more times per night;
• Sudden, urgent urges, with or without urinary leakage;
• Behavioral changes (e.g., locating restrooms in public places, urinating preventively);
• Urge triggered by routine actions (e.g., doing the dishes).

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How is overactive bladder diagnosed?

Diagnosis is made through a subjective and physical examination in the clinic. Medical tests to determine bladder hyperactivity exist and may be relevant, but are not essential for diagnosis.

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How can physiotherapy help with overactive bladder?

Your pelvic floor rehabilitation physiotherapist will first perform a comprehensive assessment (e.g., lifestyle habits, posture, breathing, contraction/relaxation of pelvic floor muscles, etc.) to determine the cause(s) of the overactive bladder syndrome.

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Based on the assessment results, your physiotherapist will:

• Provide you with specific exercises to do at home to address the cause of the problem (e.g., strengthening, bladder retraining, breathing exercises, etc.);
• Mobilize the muscles and soft tissues in the abdomen and pelvic floor;
• Give you advice for your lifestyle habits.

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When to consult a physiotherapist for overactive bladder?

You should consult a physiotherapist if you have one or more of the symptoms described above or if your doctor has ruled out any other causes that may be responsible for your symptoms.

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You do not need to see a doctor before consulting a physiotherapist. If your condition requires you to see a doctor, your physiotherapist will be able to tell you.

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What to do at home for overactive bladder?

• If the cause is medical (e.g., urinary infection, medication, tumors, etc.), be sure to consult your doctor to receive the appropriate treatment for your condition;
• Reduce consumption of beverages that can irritate the bladder (e.g., tea, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, etc.);
• Reduce consumption of foods that can irritate the bladder (e.g., hot peppers, artificial sweeteners, citrus fruits, etc.);

• Stay hydrated. By reducing water intake, urine becomes more concentrated and can become irritating to the bladder;

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To learn more...

You can listen to the podcast "Parle-moi de santé" created by one of our physiotherapists, Alexis Gougeon.

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Episode #23 discusses perineal and pelvic rehabilitation: .

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Find the episode on YouTube :

Click below to listen to episodes on podcast platforms:

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https://open.spotify.com/episode/4K8MhluZYTYDzmFNn2dDAt?si=a7a8e4a1a64f4cbd

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https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/23-r%C3%A9%C3%A9ducation-p%C3%A9rin%C3%A9ale-avec-jennifer-l%C3%A9vesque/id1525206710?i=1000527277477&l=fr-CA

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