Overactive bladder causes a sudden urge to urinate. The urge may be difficult to stop, and overactive bladder may lead to the involuntary loss of urine (urge incontinence).

If you have an overactive bladder, you may feel embarrassed, isolate yourself, or limit your work and social life. The good news is that a brief evaluation can determine whether there’s a specific cause for your overactive bladder symptoms.

Management of overactive bladder often begins with behavioural strategies, such as fluid schedules, timed voiding and bladder-holding techniques using your pelvic floor. If these initial efforts don’t help enough with your overactive bladder symptoms, medications are available.
When to see a doctor?
Although it’s not uncommon among older adults, overactive bladder isn’t a normal part of ageing. If your symptoms distress you or disrupt your life, talk to your doctor. Treatments are available that might help you.
Discussing such a private matter with your doctor might not be easy, but it’s worthwhile to take that risk — especially if your symptoms disrupt your work schedule, social interactions and everyday activities.

Normal bladder function

The kidneys produce urine, which drains into your bladder. When you urinate, urine passes from your bladder through an opening at the bottom and flows out a tube called the urethra (u-REE-thruh). As your bladder fills, nerve signals sent to your brain eventually trigger the need to urinate. When you urinate, nerve signals coordinate the relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles and the muscles of the urethra (urinary sphincter muscles). The muscles of the bladder tighten (contract), pushing the urine out.

Overactive bladder causes a sudden urge to urinate. The urge may be difficult to stop, and overactive bladder may lead to the involuntary loss of urine (urge incontinence).
The work-up will likely include a:

Treatment includes Behavioral interventions, Pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications like anticholinergic, Intradetrusor BOTOX injection is given for resistant OAB, Nerve stimulation, Surgery to increase bladder capacity.