How Botox® Can Calm Your Overactive Bladder

If you need to urinate more than eight times in a 24-hour period, you may have a condition called overactive bladder (OAB). You might experience sudden urges to urinate to the point where you lose control before you can get to the bathroom. You may have OAB if you need to get up two or more times at night to pee. 

As OAB specialists, our team at Southeast Urogyn offers several treatments for women experiencing the condition. There’s a surprising addition to the roster of therapies: Botox® for OAB. Schedule a visit with us any time you experience bladder issues. 

Causes of OAB

When functioning normally, the muscles that control bladder function begin to contract when your bladder is full, signaling that it’s time to visit the bathroom. You can then voluntarily control the release of urine. 

When bladder control muscles begin to spasm, you may suddenly feel a strong urge to urinate. It can be intense enough that you lose voluntary control over your bladder, resulting in urinary incontinence. 

Some of the more common causes of OAB include: 

• Diabetes
• Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and stroke
• Medications that affect the urinary tract
• Menopausal hormone changes
• Urinary tract infections

Often, the precise reasons for overactive bladder may not be known, or more than one condition may contribute to your problem. 

How Botox can calm your overactive bladder

It may seem a long way from smoothing out worry lines on your forehead to relieving urinary incontinence, but there are similarities between these conditions, making Botox a common treatment therapy. 

It comes down to unwanted contraction of muscles. Originally, researchers developed Botox to stop unwanted eye muscle spasms that could interfere with a patient’s eyesight. To accomplish this, they turned to a powerful neurotoxin, botulinum type A. 

Occurring naturally in nature, botulinum type A is the active ingredient behind botulism, a potentially deadly type of food poisoning. When synthesized in a lab, purified, and diluted to an incredible degree, this powerful neuromodulator is safe for local muscle control rather than dangerous system-wide muscular paralysis.

Since OAB often stems from overactive muscles, Botox is ideal to block the muscle contractions that cause some types of OAB. 

What to expect from your Botox treatment

Botox for OAB is an office treatment that typically takes less than an hour. We give you a local anesthetic for comfort, and after about 20 minutes, you’re ready for the Botox injection, which takes only a few minutes. 

Results vary widely among patients, lasting 5-15 months with the average patient gaining the benefits for about six months. About 75% of patients experience substantial improvement of their OAB symptoms. 

If you’re suffering from OAB symptoms, contact us at Southeast Urogyn. As well as Botox for OAB, we offer Axonics® therapy, an implanted solution that addresses motor nerve function in the bladder. 

You can book a consultation with our team in Flowood or Madison, Mississippi. Don’t live with the effects of OAB. Call our nearest office today.