Questions & Answers About Overactive Bladder, Second Edition » (2E)

Overactive bladder and urinary incontinence affect over 30 million men and women in the United States alone. Despite this high prevalence, incidents are largely undiagnosed and untreated, mainly because patients hold misconceptions or are too embarrassed to talk about it. If you suffer from the discomfort, inconvenience, and embarrassment of overactive bladder or urinary incontinence, or have a friend or relative who does, this book offers help. The only book to provide the doctor's and patient's view, Questions & Answers About Overactive Bladder gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, coping strategies, sources of support, and much more. Written by two prominent urologists, with insider advice from actual patients, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the physical and emotional turmoil of these sometimes debilitating conditions.

Preface v

Part 1 The Basics 1

Questions 1-8 provide fundamental information about the bladder and incontinence, including:

What is the bladder, and what does it do?

What are normal voiding habits?

What problems can occur with bladder function?

Part 2 Diagnosis of Overactive Bladder 17

Questions 9-31 discuss the identification of incontinence due to overactive bladder:

What is overactive bladder?

What is the natural history of overactive bladder? Is it permanent? Can it resolve or does it come and go?

What causes OAB?

Part 3 Treatment of Overactive Bladder 51

Questions 32-80 describe nonsurgical, minimally invasive, and surgical options for treatment of overactive bladder:

What are the options for treating OAB?

What are pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises)?

What is neuromodulation/sacral nerve stimulation?

What is bladder augmentation?

Glossary 121

Index 129