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Mostly, older women are more prone to an overactive bladder usually, but a recent representative cohort study indicates the number of men with overactive bladder is significantly on the rise. The extensive research, published in Scientific Reports, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US to establish recent overactive bladder trends among adult American men.
The results from the study, conducted by Stanford Health Care, show that prevalence increased from 11.3 per cent in 2005 to 14.5 per cent in 2020, with the greatest effect among non-Hispanic White and Black men aged 40-59 years.
“Overactive bladder is common in both men and women, but I haven’t seen an increase in prevalence among men in my practice,” said Dr. Craig Comiter, professor of Urology at Stanford Health Care. “We are an aging population and overactive bladder is becoming more common in men – not because of the environment, but because there is more awareness and screening.”
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Why do men have an overactive bladder?
Experts say even though it may be extremely common, an overactive bladder is the most misdiagnosed condition in men. According to doctors, most men may be less likely to report symptoms due to embarrassment.
Also, a few age-related prostate issues result in overactive bladder symptoms for men – who think it is a normal part of ageing. Statistics say Benign prostatic hyperplasia – a condition that causes an enlarged prostate that is not caused by cancer – affects about 14 million men in the US.
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What is an overactive bladder?
An overactive bladder is a common condition that causes a frequent and sudden urge to urinate, even at night. It may occur along with leakage or stress urinary incontinence.
According to experts, the symptoms of an overactive bladder can cause stress and affect your quality of life. Causes are typically associated with faulty nerve endings between the bladder and brain or overactive bladder muscles. Risk factors include:
- Neurologic disorders
- Hormonal changes
- Weak pelvic muscles
- Urinary tract infections
- Certain medications like diuretics and antidepressants
- Diseases that affect the brain and spinal cord
Signs and symptoms of an overactive bladder
A few signs and symptoms overactive bladder include:
Urinary urgency
Urinary urgency is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee. Once you feel the need to pee, you have a short amount of time to get to a bathroom.
Frequent peeing
If you need to pee frequently means you have the symptoms of an overactive bladder
Urge incontinence
It is a sudden, uncontrollable need to pee, and you may leak as well
Ways to fix an overactive bladder
You can make many changes to your behavior to help fix your overactive bladder. These include:
- Lifestyle modifications like quitting smoking and drinking
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Taking medications for the condition
- Doing pelvic floor exercises
- Surgery, when advised by the doctors