How Botox Can Help Your Overactive Bladder

Posted on: 19 August 2022

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If you're one of the 33 million people who suffer from an overactive bladder, you know just how disruptive and embarrassing it can be. But, surprisingly, relief may come from an unexpected source: Botox injections.

What is an overactive bladder?

If you have an overactive bladder, you may feel a strong need to urinate multiple times in a 24-hour period. You may also feel the urge to urinate without warning, or you may need to urinate several times during the night. There are two main types of incontinence caused by an overactive bladder.

Urgency incontinence

Urinary incontinence is an overactive bladder where you have a sudden, strong need to urinate and cannot reach a bathroom in time.

Stress incontinence

Stress incontinence is a type of overactive bladder that happens when you laugh, cough, or do any activity that puts pressure on your bladder, such as lifting something heavy, and causes you to leak urine.

What are treatment options for urinary incontinence?

There are many treatment options available for urinary incontinence, including medication. In fact, medication helps close to 80 percent of patients with urinary incontinence. The other 20 percent have the option to try either an implant or Botox.

Implant

If you have an overactive bladder and medicine is not working, you can try an implant. An implant is a small device put into your body to help control your bladder. It works by sending electrical signals to your bladder muscles to make them relax.

Botox

Another option is Botox injections. Botox is a type of protein typically used during cosmetic procedures. It is injected into your face to minimize wrinkles by helping the muscles relax.

Botox can also be injected into the bladder to help relieve urinary incontinence. Like cosmetic procedures, Botox injections work by relaxing the bladder muscle and preventing it from contracting.

How does Botox work for urgent incontinence?

Botox is injected into the bladder through a thin, flexible tube called a cystoscope. Once injected, Botox will help to relax the bladder muscle and reduce the urge to urinate. Botox is not a permanent solution but can provide temporary relief for six to nine months. Like cosmetic procedures, patients return for another Botox injection as the results start to fade.

If you are considering treatment for your overactive bladder, you should talk to your doctor to discuss all of your options. Botox may be a good option if you have tried medication without success.