Overactive bladder, frequency, urgency and urge incontinence are part of a spectrum of symptoms which affect a substantial proportion of patients visiting any urological clinic. These symptoms are caused by involuntary and unwanted contraction of the bladder muscle (detrusor muscle). The underlying causes vary from patient to patient and include infection of the urinary tract, prostate problems, stones and idiopathic among the common ones.
Treatment is based on identifying the underlying cause and treating it. Symptomatic relief is achieved with medications aimed at calming down the bladder and prevent it from contracting too soon and too frequently. The cornerstone of drug management includes anticholinergic medications such as tolterodine, solifenacin, darifenacin, oxybutynin etc. Most patients respond well to medications.
Some with refractory symptoms need other form of therapies. One such approach for refractory overactive bladder symptoms is intravesical BOTOX injections. The therapy works and is effective in almost 85% patients. The effect is temporary and lasts for 6 months to a couple of years but the therapy can be repeated as and when required. All in all intravesical Botox provides a promising option to “smoothen out the wrinkles in your bladder”.