What are symptoms of an overactive bladder?
The symptoms of an overactive bladder include frequent urination, urgency of urination, nocturia (urinating in the middle of the night), and urge incontinence. Overactive bladder may cause significant social, psychological, occupational, domestic, physical, and sexual problems. Again, these symptoms should not be considered a normal part of aging. How is overactive bladder diagnosed? Careful medical history and diligent review of symptoms related to overactive bladder are very important. Getting up to urinate at least three times in the middle of the night, increased urinary frequency (urinating at least eight times daily), urinary urgency, and urinary incontinence are all important clues in evaluating someone suspected of having overactive bladder. In addition to a general physical examination, a pelvic exam in women (to assess for dryness, atrophy, inflammation, infection) and a prostate examination in men (to assess for size, tenderness, texture, masses) are helpful in excluding oth
