How You Can Stop the Leakage Overactive bladder (OAB) refers to symptoms rather than a disease. It is used to describe the phenomenon of people experiencing urinary issues. Some products that help include Comfort Medical and PureWick. Treatments for an Overactive Bladder Treatments will vary depending on what exactly is wrong. Most cases of OAB do not require invasive intervention. Some of the most common treatments recommended are: Lifestyle changes: Introducing some exercise routines in your life can help strengthen muscles. Plus, it can fight obesity, which can help reduce the chances of suffering from OAB. Some experts recommend that you try to put your bladder on a schedule. By training your bladder to know what you can and cannot do, you can shape your behavior. Some also recommend “bladder training,” where you try to delay urination when you feel the urge to grow in increasing durations to strengthen your ability to “hold it”. Using protective, absorbent padding can be a last resort if you cannot adjust your behavior. This will allow you to avoid embarrassing accidents. Medication: Some prescription medications can be sued to help strengthen areas of the body or “relax” your bladder. Some common medications include: tolterodine, darifenacin, fesoterodine and mirabegron. Botox: Botox does not just flatten our wrinkles. Small injections of Botox into bladder tissue can offer temporary relief from bladder problems. It sometimes has the side effects of increased UITs and urinary retention. Nerve stimulation: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation has also been shown to help with OAB. It works by sending electrical signals from a nerve in your leg to nerves connected with bladder control. Surgery: For those suffering from severe symptoms, surgery is the last option. It can involve increasing the size of the bladder or replacing the bladder with a surgically constructed replacement. Comfort Medical vs. PureWick Comfort Medical provides catheters inserted into the urethra to manage urinary incontinence internally, whereas PureWick offers an external catheter solution using an absorbent wick for non-invasive urine collection. Getting a Diagnosis Anyone can suffer from OAB. Unfortunately, many adults are too embarrassed to ask for help or do not realize their conditions are treatable. Roughly 30% of men and 40% of women in the U.S. suffer from overactive bladder symptoms. While no one is immune to these problems, there are some conditions that increase your chances of suffering from OAB. These can include: Brain damage Hormonal changes Pelvic muscle weakness Urinary tract infections (UTI) Taking certain medications Stoke, multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions impacting the central nervous system (CNS) Signs and Symptoms of OAB Some people fail to realize that their bathroom habits are not normal. Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms can allow you to better recognize the signs of OAB which will get you one step closer to treatment. Those suffering from an overactive bladder may experience the following: Urgency: OAB’s main symptom is that sufferers experience strong, sudden urges of needing to go to the bathroom. Typically, the need to go to the bathroom will build up over time. While it is easy to ignore these feelings until you have to go, when all you feel is a sudden urge to go immediately or risk having an accident, there may be something wrong. Leaking: Suffering from something called “urge incontinence” is rather common when you suffer from an overactive bladder. It means that sometimes during these sudden urges, you will leak a little urine. You must distinguish it from people suffering from stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Rather than leak during an episode of sudden urges, those suffering from SUI leak during physical activities which would strain the region including sneezing, laughing or stretching. Frequent urination: Frequently needing to use the bathroom is not always a sign that you drank too much. If you constantly need to go to the bathroom a lot throughout the day (especially to the point where it begins to interfere with your daily life), you may be suffering from OAB. Waking up to pee: The same can be said for those who have to wake up to go to the bathroom. A fully functioning bladder is normally able to hold urine while someone is sleeping. If you frequently have to get up during the night because you need to use the bathroom, you should talk to your doctor about OAB. [youmaylike] Causes of an Overactive Bladder Because OAB is not one disease, but rather an umbrella term to characterize specific urinary symptoms, physicians will need to investigate the underlying cause of your problems. The origin of problems usually arises from areas in the urinary tract itself. Areas of the body likely responsible for an overactive bladder include the following: Kidneys. Bladder. Ureters. Urethra. Sphincter muscle. In Conclusion Talk to a trained physician if you believe you or a loved one may be suffering from an overactive bladder. They will be able to offer expert advice on how to handle your case. This is not the same as someone who suffers from an inability to control their bladder from emptying on its own.
What Are the Different Symptoms of Addiction?
In the United States, substance abuse affects around 20 million people. Most of these are due to alcohol, marijuana, and prescription pain relievers. Continual substance abuse can lead to negative effects and addiction.
This article will explain what addiction is, as well as the causes and symptoms of addiction, and explore different treatment options. We will also look at options for patients, as well as friends, family, and caregivers.
What is Addiction?
Addiction is a mental health disorder that has detrimental effects in many areas of a person’s life. It is characterized by a persistent, uncontrollable chemical dependency wherein the person craves and seeks the substance they are addicted to.
They repeatedly use these substances or engage in behaviors that can disrupt their daily life. Despite harmful consequences, this compulsive behavior cannot be controlled. As an effect, it can ruin relationships, be it marriages, friendships or families, and can be life-threatening not only to the person affected but to the people around them.
There are around 70,000 drug overdose deaths yearly in the United States, with an increasing rate of 4% per year, which is very alarming.
Causes of Addiction
There are many causes of addiction, and many factors that contribute to it. Genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of addiction.
Genetics can explain about 40% to 60% of the risk for addiction.
Environmental factors such as the home environment, presence of physical or verbal abuse, peers, employment, and academic achievement can also play a role in the risk for addiction. How drugs are viewed by parents, peers, and the community also has an impact on the occurrence of addiction.
Other factors that can affect the incidence of addiction are mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety.
Common Symptoms of Addiction
Addiction can have subtle symptoms. Sometimes people do not notice that it is already happening until it is too late. People with addiction continuously crave the substance to the point that it becomes unhealthy or can interfere with daily activities.
If the substance is a medical drug such as pain relievers, they will still take it even if it is not needed or symptoms are not experienced anymore. When there is no intake of the substance, addicted patients can feel sick, fatigued, or depressed.
Depending on the substance, physical changes may also be observed. They may sweat, shake, or experience headaches. Seizures or chest pain can be experienced. Sleep problems can also occur, and depending on the substance, a person suffering from addiction may sleep too much or too little. It’s also common for dietary habits to change.
They cannot function properly and are constantly preoccupied with the substance. They do not interact with people well.
Another symptom of addiction that contributes to further damage is the increasing amount of the substance needed to experience an effect. This is called tolerance. This compounds the craving for the substance as addicted patients need more and more and the desire for the substance becomes insatiable.
The Importance of Seeking Treatment
If treatment is not done, addiction can continue to get worse over time. Physically, it can put a person’s health at risk due to the effects of prolonged use and the risk for overdose. This is dangerous because extreme cases can lead to death.
Emotionally and socially, addiction can affect relationships as people tend to stray from friends and family, especially when they are told to stop substance use. It can destroy marriages and friendships, especially if the person refuses to change their ways or if there is a lack of emotional support for the recovery of the addicted person.
It can also cause financial problems due to continuous consumption, and can lead to the loss of jobs, mismanagement of finances, and debt.
Finding Treatment Options for Addiction
Although it may not always be evident, many people are seeking help and treatment for addiction, whether it’s for themselves or their loved ones. It’s important for people with addiction to understand that they are not alone in this battle.
There are several rehabilitation centers where people can turn to for help. These treatment facilities have various programs that help care for and provide support for people with addiction. These facilities can provide behavioral therapy, counseling, and medical management.
There are more than 14,000 treatment facilities in the United States. The following are some of the options listed on the American Addiction Centers website:
- AdCare Rhode Island Outpatient
- Laguna Treatment Hospital (Laguna Beach, CA)
- River Oaks Treatment Center (Tampa, Florida)
- Recovery First Treatment Center (Miami, Florida)
- Greenhouse Treatment Center (Dallas, Texas)
- Desert Hope Las Vegas Treatment Center (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Sunrise House Treatment Center (Lafayette, New Jersey)
Addiction is not a death sentence, nor is it something to be ashamed of. It is treatable and people can recover from this condition. People must receive the support that they need as soon as they can so that they can overcome this condition.