A Stimulating Option for Treating an Overactive Bladder

Having an uncontrollable bladder can make life verydifficult – always needing to locate a restroom and frequently feeling the urgeto go is not something many people would choose. These problems can also beembarrassing for many people to talk about. However, though these conditionscan affect quality of life, they can often be remedied with physical therapy ormedical treatment. If these treatments are exhausted, a minimally invasivesurgical option known as sacral nerve stimulation can provide some relief.

Sacral nerve stimulation is one of several treatment optionsfor overactive bladder, said Jennifer Yeung DO, aurogynecologist with TriHealthWomen’s Services who is seeing patients at TriHealthFive Mile | Anderson.  An electricallead is dropped into the sacral area of the lower back, which is where thenerves that contribute to bladder control are located. By stimulating thesenerves, the brain and the bladder are better able to communicate, which canoften successfully eliminate or reduce bladder-control problems in some people.

Sacral nerve stimulation has been approved by the Food &Drug Administration for adults who struggle with urinary frequency, urge to go,and incontinence, as well as fecal and urinary retention. The therapy isconsidered as an option only after other types of therapies have been explored,such pelvic physical therapy and medication.

The therapy is divided into two phases. The first phase isdesigned to test if the treatment will improve the patient’s symptoms. Duringthis phase, a temporary electrical lead is implanted into the back, andstimulation will be applied to the sacral nerves. The patient will then keep abladder diary for about a week to see if symptoms improve. If they do, apermanent lead and battery will be implanted. The entire system is enclosed inthe body, and the battery generally lasts 5-10 years. At that time, the patientwill be re-evaluated. If it is determined that the “bladder pacemaker” is stillneeded, then the battery will be replaced. However, it is possible that thetherapy is not needed forever, and the lead and battery can be removed.

The goal of sacral nerve stimulation is to improve patientsymptoms by 50 percent – for example, if a patient was using the bathroom 12times a day, the goal would be to reduce that number to six.

If you feel that you are struggling with urinaryincontinence or a similar issue, make an appointment to see your doctor.