The other day, one of my friends mentioned her sudden urge to wake up in the middle of the night and urinate. This kind of disturbed me and made me think about the possible causes of this and the ways to prevent it. I have heard of involuntary loss of urine at times when least expected, but this was a little different. My pregnant friend told me she has to constantly look for bathrooms wherever she goes. Therefore, I decided to do some research on this topic and I'm sure you will be interested to know what I have found.

Overactive bladder disorder affects 1 in 6 men and women in the U.S (17-20 million people) but only about 20% receive medical attention. Most people are too embarrassed to ask for help or don't think they need to be treated. They tend to isolate themselves and limit work and social life. Symptoms include the strong sudden urge to urinate, urinating frequently- 8 or more times in 24 hours, night time urination and the sudden urge to drop everything.

There are many contributing factors to an overactive bladder problem. Bladder stones make blockages in the bladder and irritate the interior walls. Another common cause is trauma to the pelvic or lower abdominal area during surgery. It may also occur as a result of neurogenic bladder problems caused by strokes, spinal cord lesions, and Multiple Sclerosis. The brain essentially doesn't know when the bladder is full due to lack of communication from the damaged nerves.

A combination of treatments is available to help alleviate symptoms and help manage the impact on daily activities. Scheduling regular times to urinate reduces the likelihood of accidents if the bladder contracts. Medications can be taken to relax the bladder muscle and decrease involuntary contractions. If none of these treatments work, surgery is the last option. A part of the large intestine is removed and used to enlarge the bladder, thereby reducing the urine frequency. As always, you should consult with your doctor to determine the true cause of your symptoms.