An overactive bladder refers to a disorder causing various types of symptoms, especially the sudden, unstoppable urge to urinate. This frequent need to visit the toilet happens both during the day and even at night. So, it only makes sense that you try to find common remedies for the overactive bladder to lead a healthy life.

Both men and women can experience this disorder, and there is no age at which you will be more prone to it. But, symptoms are usually more commonly found in the elderly population. An overactive bladder will end up affecting your work life, personal life, and sleep patterns. The most common remedies for overactive bladder include behavioral therapies, medicines, surgery, and nerve stimulation. The doctor will recommend the right treatment option for you, depending on an assessment of your condition.

The remedies for overactive bladder are as follows:

• Behavioral treatments
  These are usually the most effective and will never have side-effects. So, you can try doing exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles become strong, they can prevent the bladder from contracting involuntarily. So, you have to be taught how to perform Kegel exercises, and if you can do these regularly, you can see your symptoms disappearing over time.
• Drinking habits
  You have to keep yourself away from drinking too much caffeine or alcohol as these will work like diuretics and produce more urine as a result. Other drinks that should ideally be avoided include carbonated beverages, cranberry juice, drinks with artificial sweeteners, etc. It is especially important not to drink too many liquids before bedtime. Drinking fluids, however, should not be curtailed during the day, as this will then lead to dehydration. Spicy and acidic foods like tomato sauces and orange juices may be irritants for the bladder and worsen overactive bladder symptoms.
• Weight management
  One of the most essential lifestyle remedies is managing your body weight; when you are obese, the extra pounds can put additional pressure on your pelvic floor.
• Smoking
  Many experts have linked this habit to symptoms of overactive bladders in both sexes.
• Biofeedback
  In this treatment, you will be connected to electric sensors to measure and get information from the body. These sensors can then tell you how you can make minor changes in the body, like strengthening the pelvic muscles for resisting the urge to urinate.
• Setup a time
  You can also try and set specific toilet times, like every few hours, to help you get on track.
• Intermittent catheterization
  When you cannot empty your bladder properly, you may use a catheter from time to time to do this for you.
• Medicines
  Post-menopause, you may opt for vaginal estrogen therapy to strengthen vaginal tissues and muscles; this helps to alleviate symptoms of overactive bladder. Diuretics like DDAVP can help people suffering from overactive bladder-related discomfort at night, antimuscarinics, mirabegron relaxes the bladder, antidepressants can reduce incontinence, etc. Side-effects of taking such medications include dryness in eyes and mouth, constipation, etc. Bladder injections are also given, like Botox, to relax bladder muscles, such injections can cure severe urge incontinence.
• Nerve stimulation
  This involves regulating nerve impulses to your bladder for improving the symptoms.
• Surgery
  This may be done in people with severe overactive bladder symptoms. This is usually the last resort when medications fail to yield positive results. Surgery may be performed to expand the bladder capacity. Bladder removal is done when nothing else works; here, a replacement bladder is surgically built, and an opening is made in the body so that urine can be collected in a bag.