Symptoms

OVERACTIVE BLADDER (OAB)

Overactive Bladder is a urological condition.  Several body systems must work together to control the bladder.  Muscles are a vital part of the process along with brain signals.  Nerves carry signals from the brain to tell the bladder when it is full and when it is time to urinate.  If the brain is experiencing difficulty sending and receiving signals it is no surprise that these messages from the brain to the bladder may also be affected.  Incontinence can often be treated.

The symptoms are:

• Urgent need to urinate
• Need to urinate more than 8 times a day
• Waking up to urinate 2 or more times a night
• Need to urinate even if you have just gone to the bathroom
• Taking many trips to the bathroom only to urinate just a little bit each time
• Leaking urine when you have the urge to urinate
• Bedwetting

 

Frequent, strong, or urgent need to urinate with little to no warning can be a constant worry and very disruptive to your life. Quick urgency combined with mobility problems can lead to further complications if falls occur resulting in injuries such as broken bones.  Patients occasionally find self-catheterization assists with urinary problems.

Other complications are:

• Sleeping problems
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Embarrassment

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as Spastic Colon, has no known organic cause.

The symptoms are:

• Chronic abdominal pain
• Discomfort
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation