The CareGiver Partnership Offers Urge Incontinence Help as FDA Approves Gel for Overactive Bladder

By Lynn Wilson, Co-Founder of The CareGiver Partnership

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a topical gel to treat overactive bladder, according to Cole Petrochko, associate staff writer for MedPage Today. The gel is a formulation of oxybutynin 3% and it will be used to treat symptoms of urge incontinence. Urge incontinence is the frequent, sudden urge to urinate.

Also known as overactive or oversensitive bladder, urge incontinence involves loss of control over the bladder, especially while sleeping, drinking or hearing running water. Urge incontinence symptoms include feeling a need to urinate more than seven times per day or two times per night.

Urge incontinence often has a medical cause.

Urge incontinence generally has an underlying medical cause. Causes may be a urinary infection in the bladder or kidneys, stroke, diseases of the nervous system, tumors or cancer, interstitial cystitis, inflamed prostate, or surgery. It's important a senior has a medical evaluation to understand the type and cause, then talks with a doctor about treatment options, which may include behavioral techniques, pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications or surgery.

Here are tips to help control the urge to urinate, courtesy of the American Geriatric Society Foundation for Health in Aging: 

• Stop what you’re doing and remain still.
• Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles several times without relaxing in between.
• Take deep breaths and relax your body.
• Concentrate on suppressing the urge.
• Remain still until the urge passes.
• Walk at a normal pace to the bathroom while quickly squeezing your pelvic floor muscles.

Helpful lifestyle tips for managing urge incontinence include monitoring fluid intake and diet, avoiding bladder irritants like alcohol and caffeine, keeping a path clear to the bathroom, and wearing clothes and incontinence products that are easy to get on and off. Visit The CareGiver Partnership’s page on Dealing With Adult Incontinence, or go directly to the blog for other helpful articles on managing incontinence and aging in place.

Lynn Wilson founded The CareGiver Partnership based on her experience in caring for loved ones as well as providing the highest level of customer service. She takes pride in offering personalized service that helps her customers find the best solutions for their individual needs. Now that her children are grown, Lynn enjoys spending time with her granddaughter while also helping to care for her mom. To find out how The CareGiver Partnership can serve you, call 1-800-985-1353 M-F 9-4 CST.

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