Did you know that over 33 million Americans struggle with the symptoms related to overactive bladder (OAB), a condition in which the bladder muscle contracts too frequently or without warning? If you’re one of the 30% of men and 40% of women living with overactive bladder, a cutting-edge treatment could bring relief: InterStim® therapy.
As part of our comprehensive set of urological services, the team of board-certified urologists at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia, helps men and women struggling with overactive bladder overcome their symptoms and get back to living their lives. One of our treatment options for overactive bladder involves the effective use of nerve stimulation through InterStim therapy.
InterStim therapy can help treat your overactive bladder and get you back to running your life instead of running to the bathroom. Read on to learn more about overactive bladder and the many benefits of InterStim therapy.
All about overactive bladder
Overactive bladder creates a sudden and frequent urge to empty your bladder. This feeling can be difficult to control or ignore and can interrupt your life, causing you to run to the bathroom at all times of the day and night. It can even lead to urgency incontinence, an unintentional loss of urine.
OAB results when the muscles of your bladder involuntarily contract — even when there’s little or no urine in your bladder. These muscle contractions create an urgent need to go to the bathroom and can be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Hormonal changes related to menopause
- Enlarged prostate in men
- Neurological disorders (e.g., stroke, multiple sclerosis)
- Bladder abnormalities
- Diabetes
- Certain medications
Overactive bladder can be exacerbated by related factors and conditions which contribute to your bladder troubles, such as drinking caffeine or alcohol, having trouble walking, an inability to empty your bladder fully, and issues with cognitive functioning.
Many people find OAB embarrassing and may limit their activities to accommodate the uncontrollable urges to urinate. Fortunately, an innovative treatment modality offers hope: InterStim therapy.
What is InterStim therapy?
At Urological Associates, we’re pleased to offer InterStim therapy to our patients suffering from OAB. InterStim therapy is a reversible neuromodulation implant that can help you regain control of your bladder muscles.
As a neuromodulator, InterStim changes the nerve activity in the sacral nerves that regulate your bladder muscles. It does this by sending mild electrical pulses to the sacral nerves, which are located by your tailbone.
Because OAB can be caused by a disruption in the function of these nerves to the brain, InterStim can reset the signals, giving you back control over your bladder. You’re able to control the amount of stimulation the nerves receive, ensuring you stay comfortable at all times.
What are the benefits of InterStim therapy?
If you’re suffering from the embarrassment and inconvenience of OAB, InterStim therapy provides many benefits. Most significantly, InterStim therapy helps the brain and sacral nerves communicate better, helping your bladder function normally and reducing the symptoms of overactive bladder.
The InterStim implant is very small and fits easily under your skin, making it a private, yet practical therapy. What’s more, you begin InterStim therapy with a test treatment so that you’re able to experience how InterStim works and feels to determine if the treatment method will work for you.
As an added benefit, InterStim is fully reversible and you can choose to discontinue the neuromodulation at any time. You can also decide when to leave on the InterStim device and when to turn it off, making it convenient for your lifestyle.
Am I a candidate for InterStim therapy?
Your provider at Urological Associates works with you to determine whether InterStim therapy is the right treatment option for you. Candidates for InterStim therapy generally have severe overactive bladder that hasn’t responded to less conservative treatment methods.
Before beginning a trial run of InterStim therapy to determine if the treatment could work for you, your Urological Associates specialist conducts a physical examination and reviews your medical and bladder history. They may also conduct other exams and tests, such as a cystoscopy to view inside the bladder or a urodynamic study which looks at bladder function to decide if InterStim therapy is right for you.
Ready to learn more about the benefits of InterStim therapy for overactive bladder? The team at Urological Associates can help. Contact our Charlottesville, Virginia, office at 434-295-0184 to schedule an appointment now.