And you may have been living with this discomfort and inconvenience for years. According to the American Foundation for Urologic Disease, overactive bladder affects about one out of every 11 adults, and this is likely an underestimate because many people are too embarrassed to talk about the problem with their doctor. Some people will also leak urine when they feel the urge to urinate, a condition called urge incontinence. The condition often affects sleep quality, but it can be just as troubling during the day. It's a problem that has serious impacts on lifestyle and quality of life.
Some people are miserable.
Most of the time we really don't know why it's occurring. Although researchers have not been able to nail down a single cause, some things are known. The symptoms of overactive bladder can be the sign of an underlying problem such as a urinary tract infection. When the infection is treated, symptoms will clear. But in many other cases, overactive bladder occurs when no other illnesses can explain it.