Overactive bladder (OAB) is a group of symptoms that cause a sudden, strong need to urinate. These urges can happen throughout the day and night, interfering with sleep and daily life. However, OAB is treatable, and our Overactive Bladder Treatment Program can help you get the relief you need.
Our team has decades of experience treating OAB, so they know how to personalize your care and provide the best treatment. In addition, we focus on your comfort and dignity every step of the way.
What to Expect from Overactive Bladder Treatment at Penn Medicine
Our program offers a specialized approach to overactive bladder treatment. This approach includes:
- Personalized care: Our urology doctors, nurses and therapists are highly trained in bladder control and OAB treatments — from noninvasive methods to advanced procedures. Their skill and experience results in care that's completely tailored to your needs. Meet our overactive bladder specialists.
- Latest treatments: No single OAB treatment works for everyone. As an academic hospital, we have researched all types of treatment options, from medications to nerve stimulation. We offer the most advanced treatments available so you get better results.
- Advanced tests: We capture a clear picture of your bladder with video urodynamics (VUDS) and uroflowmetry. These tests provide fast, accurate diagnoses that guide your care plan.
OAB Treatment Options
Overactive bladder is a common condition that affects everyone differently, which is why we offer the full range of OAB treatments. With every option available, it's easier for our doctors to identify the best one for your health and lifestyle preferences.
Our overactive bladder treatments include:
- Lifestyle guidance
- Medications
- Pelvic floor exercises
- Botox® injections
- InterStim™ therapy
Lifestyle guidance
Our team provides compassionate, helpful counseling and advice about lifestyle changes that can help control OAB symptoms. In some cases, certain medical conditions or medications can make OAB worse. When needed, we work closely with your other doctors to effectively manage these issues.
Medications
Certain prescription medicines can help relax the muscles of the bladder and relieve OAB symptoms. Our providers talk with you about your medication options and what to expect.
Pelvic floor exercises
These exercises train you to control your bladder muscles. Our highly trained physical therapists specialize in pelvic floor exercises for OAB. They teach you how to do the exercises properly so you can continue doing them on your own at home.
Botox® injections
To prevent bladder contractions, your doctor uses a needle to inject Botox into the bladder muscle. We offer this therapy with or without sedation (medicine that blocks pain and helps you relax).
InterStim™ therapy
InterStim™ treats OAB by restoring communication between the brain and bladder. During InterStim for OAB:
- Your doctor implants a small device in the lower back that acts like a pacemaker for the bladder.
- The device delivers gentle electrical pulses to the sacral nerves, which are located near the tailbone. These nerves control the bladder, pelvic floor and bowel.
- The electrical pulses tell the nerves to communicate with the brain, which helps you gain better bladder control.
InterStim for OAB requires surgery to implant the device, so it's only used if other less invasive treatments haven't worked well.
Make an Appointment
Call 800-789-7366 or request a callback.