Learn the causes of OAB and natural ways to manage your frequent urge to urinate.
Are you skipping excursions with friends because you’re worried a restroom won’t be in arm’s length? You’re not alone. Overactive bladder (OAB) doesn’t have to cramp your style or your social life. Find out natural ways to manage that frequent urge to urinate...
Do you have the path to the mall restroom mapped? Are you afraid to leave home because a restroom won’t be nearby when you need one?
That’s the reality for the millions of women who suffer from overactive bladder (OAB).
In fact, 17% of all women over age 18 have OAB, according to the National Association for Incontinence (NAFI), an education and advocacy association.
So why does OAB have you living in the ladies’ room? And what exactly are the underlying causes of the urge to urinate?
How do you know if you have an overactive bladder?
Key points
Your bladder can hold up to 400–600 milliliters of urine.
The recommended daily intake of liquids is 1.5 liters.
The average person should visit the bathroom between four and eight times during the day and once at night.
Some drinks, like alcohol and coffee, can increase trips to the bathroom.
Having an overactive bladder (OAB) means your bladder has problems storing urine normally. Common symptoms of OAB include:
needing to go to the bathroom more often than usual
being unable to hold your urine
experiencing leakage when you need to urinate (incontinence)
needing to urinate several times throughout the night
Over time, these symptoms may affect your daily life. They can make it harder to plan trips, cause unintentional disruptions during work, or affect your sleep quality.