What is overactive bladder?
An overactive bladder (OAB) is characterized by feeling a strong urge to urinate or leaking a small amount of urine. With an overactive bladder, you also might need to go to the bathroom more frequently or feel an urgent need even when your bladder is not full.
Overactive bladder is very common, affecting millions of men and women in the United States. It can interfere with your daily life, interrupt your sleep, and impact your relationships and mental health.
There is a range of treatments available to improve and manage symptoms of an overactive bladder. Your doctor will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that helps restore your quality of life.
Overactive bladder symptoms
The main symptom of an overactive bladder is feeling a strong urge to urinate that often comes on suddenly and does not go away. You might feel that you need to find a bathroom right away and could leak a small amount of urine if you do not get there quickly enough.
Other common symptoms of an OAB include:
- Urge incontinence: Leaking urine after feeling a sudden urge
- Frequent urination: Urinating eight or more times during the day
- Nocturia: Waking two or more times to go to the bathroom at night
When to see a doctor
What causes overactive bladder?
Normally, your bladder muscles relax as it fills, and nerve signals between your bladder and brain tell the muscles when to contract and push out urine. With an overactive bladder, the muscles contract involuntarily, which makes you feel like you have to use the bathroom immediately, even if there isn’t much urine in your bladder.
Doctors can’t always identify the cause of an overactive bladder, but many things can disrupt the signaling between your bladder and brain or cause bladder muscles to contract when they shouldn’t. They include problems with how your bladder and bowel empty, your lifestyle, conditions or injuries that damage nerves and hormonal changes related to menopause.
Overactive bladder risk factors
Overactive bladder is more common among older women who have gone through menopause. Other factors, including disease, injury or vaginal childbirth, can also put you more at risk. Your lifestyle can also affect your bladder.
Risk factors for OAB include:
- Age: Your chances increase with age. About 30% of women over 75 experience overactive bladder symptoms.
- Being overweight or obese: A high body mass index (BMI) is linked with a greater chance of having an overactive bladder.
- Diabetes: Diabetes can damage nerves in your urinary tract and high glucose in the urine can increase urinary frequency.
- Heavy metal exposure: Heavy metals can damage your nerves.
- Prostate issues: An enlarged prostate in men can put pressure on your bladder.
- Sex: Women are more likely to have the condition than men.
- Neurological conditions: Strokes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis can affect your bladder muscles and nerves.
- Pregnancy and vaginal childbirth: Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder.
- Spinal cord or brain injuries: These can affect the nerves controlling your bladder and the signals it sends to your brain.
Complications of overactive bladder
An overactive bladder can affect your health, work and social life. Many people find it embarrassing to talk about, and it can affect your relationships and lead to feelings of social isolation. If not treated, OAB can lead to further medical issues, such as infection and skin irritation.
- Depression and anxiety: Bladder problems can take a toll on your mental health.
- Interrupted sleep: A constant need to use the bathroom at night can disturb your sleep, causing fatigue, reduced energy and other health problems.
- Reduced physical activity: Being active is important for overall health, but some people find running, brisk walking or other exercise can lead to leaks.
- Skin irritation: Leaking urine can cause skin rash and irritation.
How is an overactive bladder diagnosed?
If you're having frequent or sudden urges to pee, leaking urine or waking up often at night to go, your doctor may check for an overactive bladder. Diagnosis usually starts with a conversation about your symptoms, a physical exam and a few simple tests. These help rule out other possible causes and guide the best treatment for you.
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Medical history and exam
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, when they started and how they affect your daily life.
They may also ask about:- Your current medications and any past surgeries
- Other health conditions like diabetes, menopause or nerve issues
- Your fluid intake, including caffeine and alcohol
- Bathroom habits and how often you're having accidents
They might carry out tests, such as:
- Neurological exam: A basic neurological exam may check for reflex or sensory problems that could be affecting bladder control
- Physical exam: This may include a pelvic exam for women to look for signs of vaginal atrophy or prolapse, and a rectal exam to check for muscle tone or an enlarged prostate in men
- Urine sample: A lab test (urinalysis) can check for urinary tract infections, blood in the urine, or other abnormalities that could be causing your symptoms
You may also be asked to keep a bladder diary. This involves writing down how often you go to the bathroom, how much you pee and whether you experience sudden urges or leaks. It can help spot patterns or triggers.
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Urodynamic tests
Urodynamic tests provide information on how well your bladder, urethra and related muscles are working. These tests are especially helpful if your symptoms don’t improve with initial treatments or if the cause isn’t clear.
Some common urodynamic tests include:
- Post-void residual (PVR): This measures how much urine remains in your bladder after you urinate. A small amount is normal, but too much may suggest your bladder isn’t emptying fully
- Urine flow rate: This test measures how fast and how much urine is released. A slow or interrupted stream could indicate a blockage or weak bladder muscles
- Cystometry: This test measures bladder pressure and capacity. A catheter fills your bladder with fluid while pressure sensors track how your bladder reacts. It helps identify involuntary muscle contractions that may be causing your urgency
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Imaging tests
If more information is needed, imaging tests may be done to check for structural issues in the bladder or urinary tract.
- Ultrasound: A non-invasive test that uses sound waves to create images of the bladder, kidneys or surrounding organs. It can show how much urine is left in your bladder after you go
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: Offers detailed, cross-sectional images to check for stones, tumors or other abnormalities in the urinary tract
- Cystoscopy: A thin, flexible tube with a camera (called a cystoscope) is inserted through the urethra into the bladder. This lets your doctor visually inspect the bladder lining for inflammation, tumors, stones or blockages
Overactive bladder treatment
If you’re living with overactive bladder, treatment can help reduce sudden urges, frequent trips to the bathroom and leakage. Your doctor will likely start with the most conservative approaches first and move to other options if symptoms don’t improve.
Lifestyle changes
Many people find relief by making a few adjustments to their daily habits. These changes can help calm your bladder, improve control and reduce urgency.
- Changing your diet: Some foods and drinks can irritate the bladder and make symptoms worse. These may include caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, citrus, artificial sweeteners and carbonated drinks. Avoiding or cutting back on these can help
- Bladder training: This involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits to help your bladder hold more urine. It may also include scheduled bathroom trips, even if you don’t feel the urge to go
- Maintaining bowel regularity: Constipation can put extra pressure on your bladder, which can make symptoms worse. Eating more fiber, drinking plenty of water and staying active can help keep your bowels moving regularly
- Managing your weight: Excess weight can put pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor muscles. Losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce leaks and urgency
- Stop using tobacco products: Smoking can irritate the bladder and increase your risk of coughing, which can worsen leakage. Quitting smoking can support better bladder health
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Pelvic floor therapy is a helpful treatment for OAB symptoms like urgency and leakage. It works by strengthening and relaxing the muscles that control urination. A trained therapist will teach you exercises, like Kegels and use techniques like biofeedback to help improve muscle control.
Most people see improvement after six to 12 sessions. Your therapist will customize the plan to fit your needs and track your progress.
Medication
If lifestyle changes and therapy do not work, your doctor may prescribe medication. These usually work by helping your bladder relax and hold more urine. Overactive bladder medications can be taken as pills, gels or skin patches. Your doctor will discuss the benefits and possible side effects with you.
Medications to treat OAB include:
- Anticholinergic or antimuscarinic drugs: These help your bladder muscles relax. They include fesoterodine, oxybutynin and solifenacin.
- Beta-3 adrenergic agonists: These include mirabegron and vibegron, which also work by relaxing your bladder to prevent urgent or uncontrolled urination.
- Combination therapy: Your doctor might recommend combining both types of medications if one on its own is not enough to relieve your symptoms.
- Botulinum toxin: This medication works by relaxing your bladder muscles to reduce feelings of urgency. Your doctor can provide these treatments in their office. The effects can last up to 12 months.
Nerve stimulation
If lifestyle changes, pelvic floor therapy or medications haven’t helped your OAB symptoms, your doctor may suggest nerve stimulation, also called neuromodulation. This treatment uses gentle electrical pulses to help your brain and bladder communicate better. It can reduce how often you need to go, sudden urges and leaks.
There are two main types of nerve stimulation:
- Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS): This involves placing a small device under the skin near your lower back. It sends electrical signals to the sacral nerves, which help control bladder function. You’ll first try a temporary version to see if it improves your symptoms. If it works, your doctor may place a long-term device during a simple outpatient procedure.
- Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS): This is a non-surgical option done in your doctor’s office. A thin needle is placed near a nerve in your ankle and mild pulses are sent to your lower spine. Each session takes about 30 minutes and treatments are usually done weekly for 12 weeks.
Both methods are safe and may be good options if other treatments haven’t worked. Your doctor will help you choose the right one based on your needs and goals.
Surgery
Surgery is not common for overactive bladder but may be an option if nothing else helps and symptoms are severe. Your doctor will explain the risks, recovery time and what to expect.
- Cystoplasty (bladder augmentation): This procedure increases the size of your bladder by using part of your small intestine.
- Urinary diversion: This surgery can divert the path of urine out of your body if your bladder no longer functions as it should. This can involve a replacement bladder, or neobladder, or a stoma, which is a hole in your abdominal wall.
Find specialized care for overactive bladder
At Baylor Scott & White, we offer several locations for the care of overactive bladder, including specialized women’s health centers in North and Central Texas. From diagnosis to treatment options, we're here to support your health with convenient access to the care you need, close to home.
AccentCare - Fort Worth
3880 Hulen St , Fort Worth, TX, 76107
AccentCare Home Health of Brenham
526 W Main St , Brenham, TX, 77833
AccentCare Home Health of College Station
119 Medical Park Lane Ste C, Huntsville, TX, 77340
AccentCare Home Health of College Station
1605 Rock Prairie Rd Ste 206, College Station, TX, 77845
AccentCare Home Health Of Denton
225 W. Mulberry St. Ste A, Denton, TX, 76201
AccentCare Home Health Of Desoto
911 York Drive Ste 203, DeSoto, TX, 75115
AccentCare Home Health Of Fort Worth (Arlington)
700 Highlander Blvd Ste 205, Arlington, TX, 76015
AccentCare Home Health of Huntsville
122 Medical Park Lane B , Huntsville, TX, 77340
AccentCare Home Health of Marble Falls
1100 Mission Hills Dr Ste 100, Marble Falls, TX, 78654
AccentCare Home Health Of McKinney
6800 Weiskopf Ave Ste 100, McKinney, TX, 75070
AccentCare Home Health Of Taylor (Hutto)
567 Chris Kelley Blvd Ste 201, Hutto, TX, 78634
AccentCare Home Health Of Temple
3809 S General Bruce Dr Ste 105B, Temple, TX, 76502
AccentCare Home Health Of Waco
8300 Central Park Dr Ste A, Waco, TX, 76712
AdventHealth Central Texas
2201 S Clear Creek Rd , Killeen, TX, 76549
Andrews Women's Hospital at Baylor Scott & White - Fort Worth
1400 8th Ave , Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White - Hillcrest Infectious Disease Clinic
50 Hillcrest Medical Blvd MOB1, Ste 104, Waco, TX, 76712
Baylor Scott & White - Plano Brain and Spine Center
4708 Alliance Blvd Pavilion I, Ste 810, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White - Texas Brain and Spine Institute
900 Scott and White Dr , College Station, TX, 77845
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White - Texas Brain and Spine Institute - Huntsville
122 Medical Park Ln Ste A, Huntsville, TX, 77340
Baylor Scott & White - The Brenham Clinic
600 N Park St , Brenham, TX, 77833
- Monday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White 65+ Clinic
4716 Alliance Blvd Ste 500, Plano, TX, 75093
- Monday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Cardiac Imaging Specialists
1100 Allied Dr , Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Cardiovascular and Imaging Consultants
4708 Alliance Blvd Ste 450, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Digestive Care
3434 Swiss Ave Ste 200, Dallas, TX, 75204
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart and Lung Disease Center - Fort Worth
1420 8th Ave Ste 103, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Anna
450 N Standridge Blvd , Anna, TX, 75409
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Decatur
2401 S FM 51 Ste 200, Decatur, TX, 76234
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Denton
3333 Colorado Blvd , Denton, TX, 76210
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Idabel, OK
4 SE Avenue A , Idabel, OK, 74745
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Keller (Satellite)
3124 N Tarrant Pkwy Ste 204, Keller, TX, 76177
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - McKinney (Satellite)
5236 W University Dr Ste 4450, McKinney, TX, 75482
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Mt Pleasant (Satellite)
1011 N Jefferson Ave , Mt Pleasant, TX, 75455
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Paris
875 S Collegiate Dr , Paris, TX, 75462
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Plano
4716 Dexter Dr Ste 100, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Sherman Sycamore (Satellite)
203 E Sycamore St , Sherman, TX, 75090
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Sulphur Springs
601 Airport Rd Ste 110, Sulphur Springs, TX, 75482
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care – Sherman Highland (Satellite)
300 N Highland Ave , Sherman, TX, 75092
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Irving
2001 N MacArthur Blvd Bldg 1, Ste 360, Irving, TX, 75061
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Abilene
1219 E South 11th St Ste B2, Abilene, TX, 79602
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Amarillo
1901 Medi Park Dr Ste 2051, Amarillo, TX, 79106
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Dallas
3410 Worth St Ste 250, Dallas, TX, 75246
- Monday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Longview
906 Judson Rd , Longview, TX, 75601
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Lubbock
3711 22nd St Ste B, Lubbock, TX, 79410
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Midland/Odessa
420 E 6th St Ste 102, Odessa, TX, 79761
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Tyler
1321 S Beckham Ave , Tyler, TX, 75701
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Waxahachie
2360 N Interstate 35E MOB 2, Ste 310, Waxahachie, TX, 75165
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Specialists - Fort Worth
1250 8th Ave Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Lung Disease Specialists - Dallas
3410 Worth St Ste 250, Dallas, TX, 75246
- Monday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth
1400 8th Ave , Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White Ambulatory Endoscopy Center
4708 Alliance Blvd Pavilion I, Ste 210, Plano, TX, 75093
- Monday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Tuesday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Wednesday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Thursday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Friday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Frequently asked questions
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Can overactive bladder be cured?
An overactive bladder is a chronic condition. It is not always realistic to consider how to “cure” overactive bladder problems. However, many treatments can help you manage your symptoms and restore your quality of life. Most people find that lifestyle changes, physical therapy, medication or a combination of treatments improve their bladder control.
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How long does overactive bladder last?
Overactive bladder is usually a long-term condition that doesn’t go away on its own. While issues like a urinary tract infection may cause temporary symptoms, OAB often needs treatment to manage and prevent it from getting worse. Ongoing care is usually needed for lasting relief.
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Can anxiety cause overactive bladder?
Yes, anxiety can make overactive bladder symptoms worse. It can increase bladder activity, make nerves more sensitive, and cause muscle tension, all leading to more frequent urges to urinate. OAB can also cause anxiety, creating a cycle of symptoms.
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Does overactive bladder cause pain?
Overactive bladder doesn’t usually cause pain, but some people may feel discomfort, especially when urinating. In rare cases, it can be linked to interstitial cystitis (IC), which causes bladder and pelvic pain. If you're experiencing pain along with OAB symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider for advice and treatment.
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Can overactive bladder come and go?
Yes, overactive bladder symptoms can come and go. It’s usually a long-term condition, but some people have worse symptoms at times and milder ones at other times. Things like lifestyle, health issues and treatment can affect how often and how bad the symptoms are. Talk to your doctor for advice.
How we reviewed this page
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July 08, 2025