Overactive Bladder: Find the treatment option that works for you

By: Umar Karaman, MD

A portrait of a smiling retired Caucasian female contemplating while enjoying her leisure time.

One-third of Americans struggle with bladder control, including overactive bladder (OAB). If you’re one of them, don’t be discouraged. There are numerous treatment options which means you don’t have to live with it!

The best approach starts with knowing why your bladder isn’t functioning like it should.

What is OAB?

The term describes a group of urinary symptoms, including:

  • Sudden, hard-to-control urge to urinate
  • Accidental leakage (incontinence)
  • Getting up to urinate two or more times a night

When you urinate, your bladder muscle contracts and forces out urine. Then it relaxes so your bladder can fill again. When that muscle weakens or becomes damaged, loss of bladder control can result. Researchers have linked OAB with:

  • Alcohol, caffeine, and some medications. These dull your brain’s signals to the bladder.
  • Obesity which puts pressure on your bladder
  • Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke
  • Pregnancy and childbirth which can damage the bladder muscle
  • Radiation therapy
  • Urinary tract infections

How is OAB diagnosed?

These tests can confirm you have OAB and also help to determine the best treatment:

  • Cystoscopy: a thin, flexible scope with camera is inserted into the urethra to examine for abnormalities
  • Urinalysis: a urine sample is examined
  • Urodynamics: measures pressure in your bladder and urine stream. Also determines how much urine remains in your bladder after you finish urinating.

What is the treatment pathway for OAB?

Step one is for you to keep a voiding diary to track what you drink and when you urinate. Based on the results, your urologist will recommend treatment beginning with the least costly and least invasive:

  • Lifestyle changes will be recommended, including adjustments to your diet, managing your weight, pelvic floor exercises (Kegels), and bladder training.
  • Medications that relax your bladder muscle so it can hold more urine.

At a one-month follow-up, your urologist may prescribe a second medication. If there is no improvement, a repeat evaluation may be needed including another cystoscopy and/or urodynamics.

The next line of treatment, if needed, may include one of the following:

  • Sacral nerve stimulation: A tiny pacemaker-like devise is implanted to calm the nerve that controls the bladder. Before implantation, a test phase can determine if this is right for you.
  • Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation or Percutaneous tibial neuromodulation: Your tibial nerve is located just above your ankle. This procedure uses a slim needle electrode to stimulate the nerve for better bladder control.
  • Botox: Injected into the bladder, it partially paralyzes the muscle to prevent overactivity. But you’ll still have enough control to empty your bladder.

If your urologist determines these approaches aren’t right for you, other options exist, including surgery. The goal is to get you back in control of your bladder and an improved quality of life.

Learn more about OAB here. Request an appointment with a urologist at AUI.

Eating for Intimacy: 6 Foods that Can Boost a Man’s Libido

By: Greg LaMendola, PA-C

Shot of a man eating breakfast at the dining table

It’s true! Science supports the notion that oysters can enhance your libido. Which got us to wondering what other foods can boost male sexual health?

Contemporary research has found that several foods can improve sexual wellness and erectile function due to their vitamins, minerals, flavonoids (antioxidants and anti-inflammatories), and healthy fats.

These nutrients strengthen the heart so it can more effortlessly pump blood throughout your body and into the genitals, so you can more readily achieve and hold an erection. On top of that, a strong heart supports stamina.

6 Food Categories to Fall in Love With

Everyone’s body is different and therefore might respond to foods in varying ways, but research suggests the nutrients in the following foods could enhance your sex drive and erectile health.

  1. Aw shucks, it’s not just oysters. Men and women have been slurping down oysters and clams to kindle sexual desire for centuries, but crab and lobster have similar powers, thanks to one common nutrient. Shellfish carry zinc, a mineral that increases blood flow and balances testosterone. Zinc might also support sperm function.
  2. Love fruits. Consuming several daily servings of fruit, including apples, cherries, berries, citrus, grapes, and/or watermelon, can reduce erectile dysfunction (ED) by 14%, research has found. That’s because fruit flavonoids and amino acids improve circulation and therefore erections. (Diabetics should ask their doctors about fruit portions.)
  3. Love veggies too. A bed of greens might improve your performance in the bedroom. Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and beets are among veggies rich in blood-pumping nutrients. Vegetables are high in vitamin C, magnesium, and fiber, which stimulate metabolism and circulation. Magnesium also could boost testosterone levels, studies show.
  4. Go nuts for healthy fats. Nuts and other foods are high in protein and “good” fats that have been linked to better sexual performance, right down to sperm quality. The omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts strengthen the heart, while pine nuts deliver zinc. Other healthy-fat foods: avocado and fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
  5. Cocoa’s a go-go. Cocoa beans might be bitter, but the sweet truth is they’re filled with nutrients that add a spark to circulation and mood. Dark chocolate that’s 70% cocoa or more carries higher levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories (flavonoids) that fire up circulation and dopamine, the pleasure hormone.
  6. Peppers that spice it up. If you can eat one chili pepper, then try for two or three. A study in Physiology & Behavior finds that men who eat hot peppers regularly have higher-than-average testosterone levels. When accompanied by the pepper chemical capsaicin, these hot flavonoids release endorphins, a natural mood enhancer.

Eat for Love, and Your Whole Health

Can certain foods act as anti-aphrodisiacs and reduce your sex drive? Research is ongoing, but several studies agree that too much alcohol can contribute to sexual and erectile dysfunction. You might want to keep it moderate.

Other sexual sideliners include some prostate cancer treatments, the side effects of kidney disease, and stress. If you suspect such conditions are getting in the way of your sex life, it might be time to talk to a specialist.

Don’t clam up! Our doctors train daily to better understand and treat male sexual wellness.

You can visit our Sexual Health page to learn more about conditions and treatment offerings.