What is Fowler’s Syndrome?
Fowler’s Syndrome was first described by Professor Clare J Fowler in 1985 and consists of difficulty in passing urine and urinary retention due to the bladder’s sphincter muscle’s failure to relax. Fowler’s affects young women and up to half the patients affected have polycystic ovaries.
Who is affected?
Fowler’s Syndrome typically affects younger women in their twenties and thirties who infrequently pass urine with an intermittent stream. T
Other Treatments
Botox
Botox (Botulinum A-toxin) is now being used in some hospitals as a treatment for OAB. Botox,
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor can sometimes help. It is best to be supervised by a health professional on this treatment.
Biofeedback
This system uses measuring devices to help you become more aware of the body’s functioning. A variety of instruments are used to record small electrical signals which are given off when speci
Medication
Anticholinergics and Antimuscarinics: these drugs slow down the contractions of the bladder wall, relaxing the bladder and decreasing the need to urinate. Commonly prescribed anticholinergics include:
· Oxybutinin (also available as a transdermal patch)
· Tolterodine
· Darifenacin
· Trospium
· Vesicare
· Toviaz
Betmiga (Mirabegron)
Mirabegron is a once-daily, beta-3 adrenoceptor agonist for the symptomatic
Treatments
There are many treatment options available, speak to your GP or continence advisor for further information. Below are many of the options available:
Urinalysis and cultureIt may be considered necessary to provide a sample of urine for testing to ensure that there is no infection or blood present.Bladder diaryYou may be asked to record when you pass urine and how much, over a short period of time and include how much fluid you are drinking.
For urge incontinence or overacti
What Causes Urinary Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is a symptom and not a disease in itself. Among the conditions which can give rise to incontinence are childbirth, pelvic surgery, injuries to the pelvic region or the spinal cord, neurological diseases, multiple sclerosis, poliomyelitis, infection and degenerative changes associated with ageing. It can also occur as a result of pregnancy, being overweight or a side effect of some medications.
Temporary urinary incontinence may be ca
About Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional passing of urine. It is a common problem and it is thought that more than 50 million people in the developed world may be affected. Incontinence is a subject which many people find difficult to discuss or to seek help for. This may be due to embarrassment or cultural taboos. The onset of continence problems often causes anxiety, loss of self-esteem and confidence and can be isolating. Many elderly people
The ultimate goal of any alteration to diet or drinking habits is to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of overactive bladder and to improve quality of life.
Most medical practitioners will initially commence a treatment programme by starting with the least invasive and surgery free options. One of these is to look carefully at the diet and drinking habits of sufferers.
Drink
Many people think that by reducing the intake of fluid, then less urine will be passed and their condition will i
Q: I smoke 20 cigarettes a day. Could this contribute towards my overactive bladder?
A: Nicotine can irritate the bladder muscle, causing bladder contraction and urgency. Coughing as a result of smoking may cause urinary leakage.
Q: I have been advised to do Pelvic Floor Exercises. How will these help my overactive bladder?
A: These exercises involve repeated contractions of the pelvic floor muscles in order that they may be strengthened. The muscles may have been weakened by
Acupuncture: Although few studies have been undertaken, it is believed that for some sufferers acupuncture may be beneficial.
Pumpkin Seeds: They are high in Omega-3 essential fatty acids which are powerful anti-inflammatory agents.
Magnesium: Taken at night is thought to help urgency/leakage at night by controlling bladder spasms.
Alarms: To help prevent nocturnal enuresis (night time leakage). The patient can wear a body alarm to train them to wa
If the muscles (detrusor) in the bladder contract too much, this results in an overactive bladder. Anticholinergic (antimuscarinics) medication helps by slowing down these contractions. There are some side effects associated with this type of medication, which may include: dry mouth, dry eyes, blurred vision, constipation and nausea. People can react differently to medication and what suits one person may not suit another. It is therefore important to discuss all options and to be followed
