Though it’s hard to pin down accurate numbers when it comes to overactive bladders because of a lack of reporting, the Urology Care Foundation estimates that as many as 30% of men and 40% of women deal with the condition. An overactive bladder, or OAB, can be an incredibly frustrating issue to manage daily, often making quite an impact on your quality of life — especially when incontinence develops.
At Urological Associates, the experienced team of urologists helps patients in the Charlottesville, Virginia area with urological concerns of every kind. And when it comes to minimizing the symptoms of OAB, including incontinence, the team has had great success with Botox.
If you’d like to explore how Botox can treat your urinary incontinence, read on.
The history of Botox
Almost 20 years ago, Botox burst onto the cosmetic scene as an effective anti-aging tool that reduces wrinkles and fine lines around your brows, forehead, and eyes. And its held the top spot in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures ever since.
Actually, Botox has been on the medical scene since the 1970s, when it was first used to correct strabismus (cross eyes) and blepharospasms (involuntary blinking). The treatment received FDA approval in 1989 for this use and went on to receive FDA approval for:
- Cervical dystonia in 2000
- Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) in 2004
- Chronic migraines in 2010
- Urinary incontinence in 2011
So even though Botox has become a juggernaut in the world of aesthetics, it’s also been quietly and successfully helping men and women overcome OAB symptoms for nearly a decade.
How Botox works against OAB
To understand why Botox is so effective in treating the symptoms of OAB, let’s quickly review what happens during OAB. As the name implies, the condition occurs when the muscles in and around your bladder contract more often, which leads to issues with urgency, frequency, and leakage. Though OAB may be caused by a problem in the muscles themselves, it can also develop because of a neurological condition that interferes with the muscle signaling.
To address these contractions, Botox contains onabotulinumtoxinA, which is a neuro-muscular blocker that quiets the overactive muscles by disrupting the signaling.
Getting results with Botox
After your initial treatment at our office, you should see improvement in your OAB symptoms after two weeks. In studies conducted by the manufacturers of Botox, the majority of participants experienced a 50% reduction in weekly leakage episodes about six weeks after their initial treatment. In fact, many participants reported a 75% improvement in leakage, and one in three reported no leakage whatsoever.
Of course, results vary, but we’re with you every step of the way, monitoring your progress. Should the Botox improve your incontinence, you should expect to receive follow-up treatments every six months or so to maintain these great results.
If you’d like to regain control over your bladder and your quality of life, please contact us at (434) 201-2182.