What is Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB)

OAB refers to a condition characterized by a sudden and frequent urge to urinate, often accompanied by urinary incontinence or leakage. This syndrome can significantly impact a man’s quality of life, causing embarrassment, disruption of daily activities, and overall discomfort. Common symptoms include urgency (a sudden, strong need to urinate), frequency (urinating more often than usual), and sometimes nocturia (waking up at night to urinate).

How can physiotherapy treat OAB?

Physiotherapy can play a crucial role in managing OAB. Physiotherapists specialising in pelvic floor rehabilitation can offer targeted exercises and techniques aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are essential for controlling urinary function and can become weakened or dysfunctional due to various factors, including age, prostate conditions, or previous surgeries.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation is taught using real-time ultrasound by our physiotherapists. This is so we can ensure you are using the right muscles and allows men to visualise the correct contraction of the pelvic floor for effective rehabilitation. High quality contractions are more likely to produce better outcomes and each program will be tailored to an individuals circumstances to assist them with getting back to normal life sooner.

Additional techniques such as bladder retraining and lifestyle modifications are commonly employed to enhance urinary control and provide men with effective tools to manage and alleviate their symptoms.