Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder means that you may have to urinate often, have a sudden urge to urinate, or you may have an involuntary loss of urine which is also called incontinence.

Typically the symptoms associated with an overactive bladder are caused by kidney function, muscle spasms, and nerve signals associated with controlling the bladder.

An overactive bladder can be caused by a number of factors. Age, weight gain, and loss of muscle tone are just a few of the reasons.

If you believe that your overactive bladder problems are due to any of these three things then you can work to increase your muscle tone and try to lose weight. This works as it reduces pressure on the bladder, therefore reducing the urge to urinate.

You can work on training your bladder by not going for an extra five or ten minutes in the beginning, then longer to build stamina and strength. Women can strengthen pelvic muscles with Kegel exercises as this can help to prevent incontinence.

Natural Remedies for an Overactive Bladder:

Flotrol:

An herbal combination of soy-germ and pumpkin seed extracts, the soy in Flotrol helps to maintain a healthy bladder and the pumpkin seeds promote a healthy urinary tract. This natural supplement is used to reduce overactive bladder symptoms and will help strengthen the sphincter muscles that help to start or stop urination. With stronger muscles you will have more control.

Herbal Formulas:

There are several herbal formulas that were specifically designed to help with an overactive bladder.

Many of these formulas have been used in Asian medicine for centuries. They can generally be found in a health food store or by going to a Chinese herbalist.

The herbs used most often in these formulas include Asiatic dogwood, panax ginseng, alpinia oxyphylla, valerian, and schisandra chinensis. These herbs are used to treat urinary frequency and incontinence.

Alpinia Oxyphylla:

Part of the ginger family, alpinia oxyphylla is known in Chinese herbal medicine as Yi Zhi Ren. For centuries this herb has been used to control frequent urination and to help increase bladder control. Alpinia oxyphylla is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects and besides its use in treating overactive bladders this herb is also used in the treatment of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Panax Ginseng:

Used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years, panax ginseng is a major component in formulas used to treat urinary conditions that include incontinence and frequent urination. One of the reasons it is used is that ginseng is known to help convert the substance L-Arginine that is found in the body, into Nitric Oxide. This conversion helps the bladder muscle relax.

There is more you can do to help the prevention of an overactive bladder:

• Acupuncture.
• Lessen your intake of alcohol and caffeine.
• Quit smoking.
• Don't be embarrassed to discuss your symptoms with your doctor.