Sudden urgency to pass urine can be a disease in itself or part of a disease. Overactive Bladder (OAB) Is the name given to a group of troubling urinary symptoms. 

The most common symptom of OAB is a sudden and unexpected urge to urinate that you can't control. In some people, this urge will result in urine leakage (incontinence). 

Frequent urination during the day and night is one more symptom of OAB.

What are the symptoms of OAB?

  • A strong, sudden urge to urinate, known as "urgency," is the most common symptom of OAB. - You may be worried that you won't make it to the bathroom in time. You may or may not leak urine after feeling this urge.
  • Urine leakage (incontinence) - You may leak urine after feeling a urge to go that doesn't give you enough time to make it to the bathroom. This kind of incontinence is called "urge urinary incontinence." 
  • Frequent urination - You may need to go to the bathroom more than eight times a day. (The number of times a person urinates during the day varies from person to person, but many experts consider urinating more than eight times in 24 hours "frequent urination.")
  • Waking up at night to urinate - Waking up more than once a night to urinate is another symptom of OAB.

What causes OAB?

  • OAB can happen when the nerve signals between your brain and your bladder tell your bladder to empty even when it isn't full. 
  • OAB can also occur when the muscles in your bladder are overactive and contract before your bladder is full. The result is a sudden, strong urge to urinate that you cannot control.
  • Urinary urgency can also be an underlying symptom of infection, tumor or stone in bladder in selected cases.

Who is at risk for OAB?

  • The risk for OAB symptoms increases as you grow older. 
  • But just because you are getting older doesn't mean your OAB symptoms can't respond to treatment.
  • Both men and women are at risk for OAB. Women who have gone through menopause (also called "change of life") and men who have had prostate problems seem to be at greater risk for OAB. In general some face this problem more than men.
  • People with neurological diseases, such as stroke and multiple sclerosis (MS), have a high risk of OAB.
  • Eating a diet that is rich in "bladder irritating" food and drinks (such as caffeine, alcohol and highly-spiced foods) can increase some people's OAB symptoms.

What should I do?

OAB can get in the way of your work, social life, exercise and sleep. But you don't have to allow OAB symptoms to limit your life—there are treatments available to help. If you think you have OAB, please see your Urologist.