When a patient is seen for possible OAB, we would have to first exclude:
- UTI and
- bladder malignancy.
Having excluded the diagnoses mentioned above, we would get the patient to fill up a voiding chart or a bladder diary. This would involve the patient having to:
- chart the volume of fluid intake,
- the number of times he/she goes to the toilet,
- measure the volume of urine voided.
This would be done over 3 days with the patient not changing his/her usual daily habits or routines.
This will rule out the cause of frequency of urination to be due to increased fluid intake and/or type of beverages (esp alcohol or caffeinated drinks).
The next step of treatment would be behavioural modifications, known as bladder training where the patient would be educated on changing their voiding habits.
Should that not solve the problem, we would start the patient on medications. This can range from anti-cholinergics to the newer beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists. Both drugs help to relax the bladder muscles so as to take away the urge to go to the toilet. These are prescription drugs and a urology consult is recommended so that we can tailor the treatment accordingly.
