What Causes Frequent Urination?

Istanbul Okan University Hospital Urology Specialist Dr. Instructor Member Ali Yıldız informed about overactive bladder. Dr. Ali Yıldız's information is as follows:

What is an overactive bladder, what causes it

The bladder is the organ that stores urine produced by the kidneys. It consists of a muscular structure, is in the form of a sac and can store approximately 500 cc of urine. Overactive bladder, as the name suggests, can be defined as more (over) work than normal due to problems in the storage functions of the urinary bladder. Complaints of overactive bladder may include a few of the symptoms such as frequent urination, sudden urge to urinate, urinary incontinence before reaching the toilet, and getting up to urinate at night.

There are several risk factors for overactive bladder syndrome: Increasing age, diabetes, enlarged prostate, urinary tract infection, pregnancy, childbirth and being overweight can increase the risk of overactive bladder. It has also been revealed that certain genetic factors make people more susceptible to overactive bladder and urinary incontinence. So genetic factors are also important.

Normally, a person's urination frequency should be between 4-8 times during the day. Getting up at night to go to the bathroom more than once or urinating more than 8 times during the day indicates that the urinary frequency is higher than normal.

At least 1,5-2 liters of fluid should be consumed per day. Fluid intake should be avoided four hours before going to sleep at night, and the bladder should be emptied before going to bed. Consumption of juicy fruits and vegetables should be avoided in the evening. Excessive consumption of caffeinated, acidic, spicy foods and beverages and excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided. Physical activity should be increased, and a balanced and regular diet should be used to support weight loss. Smoking habit, if any, should be given up. To prevent chronic constipation and difficulty in going to the toilet, fibrous foods should be added to the diet.

Unfortunately, there is no single treatment for this group of complaints that can eliminate all complaints. For this reason, it is very important to follow up the patient's complaints after the treatment, because the success of the treatment will vary from person to person. There is more than one treatment method for the disease, but the patient is first asked to make changes in lifestyle and develop a habit of pelvic exercise. In addition to these, drug therapy can also be applied. In patients for whom all these treatment methods are ineffective, bladder botox applications and surgical interventions that reduce nerve conduction may be preferred. In some cases, enlargement of the bladder can also be used as an effective treatment method.

Can active bladder problem be treated with botox?

Botox, which is a medical protein obtained from the bacterium "Clostridium botulinum", is preferred not only for cosmetic purposes but also as an effective treatment method in neurology and urology fields. Today, botox has become one of the important treatment options for overactive bladder problems. When Botox is injected into the bladder muscle, it temporarily disables the nerves of that muscle or muscle groups, eliminating involuntary movements and excessive contraction. It achieves this effect by stopping the release of a substance called acetylcholine found in nerve endings. It is important that the procedure is performed under hospital conditions and in the operating room. After treatment, urination and urinary incontinence problems are reduced in the majority of patients and most of the time, complete recovery is achieved. Some patients may have difficulty urinating after the procedure. However, this is a temporary situation and the complaints completely disappear within 10-14 days. Its effectiveness continues for 6 to 12 months. It should be known that in patients who benefit from this treatment, re-injections may be required after the effectiveness of the drug wears off.