Nearly half of people with symptoms of overactive bladder had to initiate multiple conversations with their doctor before receiving a diagnosis or treatment, according to a national survey of more than 500 people with symptoms of overactive bladder. Furthermore, only 15 percent of those surveyed said their doctors had ever initiated a discussion about overactive bladder symptoms.
An estimated 33 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from overactive bladder, a medical condition associated with involuntary contractions of the bladder muscle. People with overactive bladder experience a strong, sudden urge to urinate, may use the bathroom eight or more times in 24 hours and may have wetting accidents.
“People who suffer from overactive bladder are really heroes,” said Nancy Muller, executive director of the National Association For Continence (NAFC). “Their commitment to leading healthy, active lives is marked by their willingness to risk embarrassment by bringing up a difficult subject with their physicians, sometimes more than once. “We need to proactively encourage dialogue about bladder health so that no one suffers from this condition in silence.”
People surveyed reported that they often try to manage symptoms with coping behaviors such as limiting fluid intake and going to the bathroom when they do not have to. These coping mechanisms are not effective ways to treat the condition. Nearly all primary care physicians recommended that their patients try behavioral modification, such as limiting intake of liquids. However, more than four out of five urologists believe that medication is the best first-line therapy for overactive bladder, most of whom noted that they see significant increases in quality of life measures after patients start on overactive bladder medication.
“The common perception is that overactive bladder is a normal part of aging. In fact, it is a treatable medical condition at any age,” said Dr. Deborah J. Lightner, assistant professor of urology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. “With effective treatment available, it’s incumbent upon physicians to make sure that we foster a safe and open environment that will encourage patients to share what they might consider embarrassing information about their health with us.”