Your bladder needs your kidneys, nerve signals, and muscles to all be in sync with one another. When they're not, you might experience overactive bladder and incontinence, leaving you with symptoms that can lessen quality of life.
Your primary physician (or gynecologist, urologist or urogynecologist) like those at Metropolitan Urological Specialists in St. Louis, MO should be able to pinpoint the root of your condition and determine a treatment plan. Here's what you need to get the dialogue started.
Before Your Doctor Visit
Your physician may have asked you to maintain a bladder diary for several days prior to your appointment. In it, you'd detail fluids you ingest and when you urinate, feel an urge, and experience leakages.Right Now
No bladder diary? Not a problem. Take a couple of minutes and make a mental list of the times and situations whenever you felt urgency or experienced leakage. It will give your doctor hints about factors that might be bringing about your condition.
During the Visit
Your physician will ask questions regarding your urinary control issues, take your medical history and provide you with a physical evaluation. During or in the days after the visit, you'll also have diagnostic tests.
If You Need More
Some OAB symptoms, such as urgency to urinate, might be caused by other medical issues. So you may initially be diagnosed with another urinary disorder, like the bladder condition interstitial cystitis. A thorough exam and tests should determine the exact cause of symptoms. Yet, if your doctor seems stumped, you might want to see a urologist or a urogynecologist who specializes in urinary tract disorders. The doctors at Metropolitan Urological Specialists have years of experience and are well-equipped to diagnose you correctly the first time.
7 Questions The Doctor May Ask You
1. What meds are you taking? Some prescription and non-prescription drugs can dull the nerves and muscles involved.
2. What fluids do you consume regularly? Alcohol, for example, interferes with signals from your brain to your bladder about when to release.
3. How much fluid do you consume on a typical day? Drinking too much water before going to bed may cause overnight accidents.
4. What recent surgeries or illnesses have you had? Trauma coming from pelvic or back surgery, for example, can spur leakage problems.
5. How many kids have you had? Pregnancy and childbirth can deteriorate pelvic muscles.
6. Can you recall when you began to first notice bladder symptoms? Even if it was years ago, you can find some relief.
7. How many times per day are you feeling the need to urinate? Going more than eight times a day may mean OAB.
Your Health Background
A number of health conditions send nerve signals to the bladder at the incorrect time, which may cause urine leakages.
Take a glance at this list of diseases and conditions and check off all that apply to you. This often helps your physician better identify the source of your bladder problem and create the very best treatment plan.
• Bladder tumors or polyps
• Brain or spinal cord tumor
• Diabetes
• Herniated disc
• Lead, mercury, or arsenic poisoning
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Myelodysplasia
• Parkinson's disease
• Radiation treatment for cancer
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
Some study also indicates that individuals with particular conditions might be susceptible to OAB, especially these below. Check all that apply.
• Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
• Depression or anxiety
• Fibromyalgia
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Are there any other medical situations that you find could be influencing your bladder function? If that's the case, tell your doctor. The doctors at Metropolitan Urological Specialists, serving individuals living in St. Louis, Creve Couer, Florissant, and Kirkwood, would love the opportunity to have an appointment with you so that you can find solutions to your bladder control problems.
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