Overactive Bladder (OAB)
If you're experiencing a sudden urge to urinate, frequent bathroom visits, or urinary leakage, you may be dealing with Overactive Bladder (OAB). At our Denver-area urology clinics, we specialize in diagnosing and treating OAB with personalized care tailored to your unique symptoms and lifestyle.
More than 30 million Americans have overactive bladder. While OAB is more common as you age, it is not a normal condition at any age.
OAB Symptoms
Patients in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, and surrounding communities often experience a range of OAB symptoms that may occur daily or intermittently. You do not need all of these symptoms to be diagnosed:
- Frequency: Most people normally urinate 4-7 times during the day, and at least one time at night (although this is age-dependent). People with OAB usually urinate eight (8) or more times during waking hours.
- Urgency: Feeling a sudden or unexpected urge to urinate that is difficult to control. Also described as a “gotta go right now” sensation.
- Urge Incontinence: This involves involuntary leakage after an urgent need to urinate.
- Nocturia: Waking up two or more times a night to urinate.
- Incomplete bladder emptying: The sensation of not feeling completely empty after urination.
It is a chronic disease state, which means the symptoms can be managed, but not cured.
What Causes Overactive Bladder?
OAB is a chronic condition—which means while it can’t be cured, the symptoms can be effectively managed. At our urology centers in Denver, Littleton, Englewood, and Centennial, we treat OAB by identifying contributing factors such as:
- Aging
- Neurological conditions that affect the brain or spine, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more commonly associated with OAB
- In women, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, endometriosis, and abdominal surgeries can be risk factors
- Medications such as diuretics, sedatives, and antidepressants can interfere with the nerves that trigger bladder contractions
- Certain foods such as caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods can irritate the bladder and make OAB symptoms worse
- Obesity
Diagnosing OAB
Our board-certified urologists use a range of advanced diagnostic tools to evaluate your symptoms and build a personalized OAB treatment plan:
These evaluations may include one or more of the following tests:
- Urinalysis - A sample of urine collected to check for abnormalities in the urine.
- Uroflow - You may be asked to urinate into a device that will measure the volume and speed of urination.
- Post-Void Residual - After urinating, a quick ultrasound scan is performed to see the amount of urine that is left in the bladder.
- Ultrasound - A test that uses sound waves to visualize the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract.
- Urodynamics Study (UDS) - Tests the ability of your bladder to store and empty urine.
- Cystoscopy - A diagnostic procedure with local anesthesia (lidocaine gel) that uses a tiny camera to look at the urethra and bladder.
- Urocuff (patients with prostates only) - A small cuff on the penis that can be utilized to non-invasively and painlessly measure urine flow rate and bladder pressure, as well as aid in the diagnosis of voiding disorders.
Personalized OAB Treatment Near You
Whether you’re located in Downtown Denver, Cherry Creek, Aurora, Lakewood, or Highlands Ranch, our urology experts are here to help you take control of your bladder health. We offer a full range of treatment options, from lifestyle modifications and bladder training to medications, physical therapy, and minimally invasive procedures when needed.
Take the First Step Toward Relief
If you're living with symptoms of overactive bladder in the Denver metro area, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Relief from OAB is possible—and it starts with a proper diagnosis and expert care.