Exhausted, frustrated, and ready to say goodbye to OAB? Explore the benefits of Sacral Neuromodulation Therapy
Are you always in the bathroom? Do you need to keep a spare pair of pants with you in case a leak occurs? Is your overactive bladder requiring your attention – taking you away from the most enjoyable parts of life? If so, this is a normal condition that affects tens of millions of Americans; however, to what degree it impacts your life is up to you.
If you are tired of suffering from an overactive bladder, do something about it. By finding the right long-lasting treatment, you can keep worries about your OAB in your past
From surgery to medications to natural bladder control methods, you have likely considered a half-dozen overactive bladder “cures.” However, not every treatment works for every patient. Your body and lifestyle are unique. To find relief from your symptoms, you need a treatment that addresses your symptoms and is effective and reliable enough to last for years to come.
Axonics sacral neuromodulation therapy is a clinically proven treatment for overactive bladder that can provide long-lasting results for approximately 15 years.
What is an overactive bladder (OAB)?
Overactive bladder is a condition that makes it difficult to control your bladder. You will experience intense, sudden urges to urinate, regardless of if the bladder is full. Due to the strength of these urges, you may lose urine, resulting in embarrassing leaks. This is known as incontinence.
If you have an overactive bladder, you may have the following symptoms:
- Frequent urges to urinate
- Strong, unpredictable urges to urinate
- Incontinence
- Urinating more than eight times a day
- Frequently waking at night to urinate
Each symptom brings complications to your life. Frequent urges to urinate can make your family wonder why you can’t stop going to the restroom, and make a trip to a sporting event or movie extremely difficult. Strong urges to urinate can cause you to worry if you will make it to the restroom in time and force you to drop everything you’re doing immediately. Incontinence can result in embarrassing leaks that are noticed by others. Urinating more than eight times requires a significant amount of time that could be spent doing something you love, like spending time with your family. Frequently waking at night to urinate disrupts your sleep, leaving you tired, and impacting your memory and cognitive ability.
What is causing your overactive bladder?
Knowing the answer to this question can be difficult to determine without being diagnosed by a urologist. Overactive bladder often develops naturally with age as the muscles in your bladder weaken. Although OAB is possible at any age, overactive bladder is more common in women over the age of 40 (1).
Causes of overactive bladder include:
- Enlarged prostate
- Neurological disorder
- Tumor
- Bladder stones
- Diabetes
Causes of overactive bladder in men and women may differ. For men, overactive bladder is most often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate. As a prostate grows, prostate tissues pressure the bladder and obstruct urine flow from the bladder to the urethra. Men also develop overactive bladder due to infections, cancer, and nerve damage.
Common causes of overactive bladder unique to women include pregnancy, childbirth, and naturally losing strength in pelvic floor muscles.
A single symptom of overactive bladder may not be enough evidence that you have OAB. OAB shares symptoms with other conditions, meaning what you’re experiencing could be the sign of a different medical issue, including:
- Cancer
- Enlarged prostate
- Diabetes
If you believe you have an overactive bladder but have not received your diagnosis, schedule an appointment with your urologist. At this meeting, you will be evaluated for overactive bladder and other bladder issues. This appointment will include several tests, having your medical history reviewed, taking a urine test, discussing your condition with your urologist, and learning about sacral neuromodulation therapy.
What is Axonics sacral neuromodulation therapy?
Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) therapy, also known as sacral neuromodulation therapy for urinary retention, is a clinically-proven, FDA-approved treatment to reduce your symptoms. The therapy, given through an implant, is also a treatment for urinary urgency incontinence. There is also sacral neuromodulation for bowel control, helping to stop or limit an overactive bowel, and sacral neuromodulation for urinary retention.
Sacral neuromodulation therapy works by conducting sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) using an implanted device to help your brain, bladder, and bowel communicate. With better communication, your body will once again work together, preventing accidents and false signals.
Sacral neuromodulation therapy comes with many benefits. The treatment is known to be safe, clinically-proven, and long-lasting. The Axonics sacral neuromodulation therapy device is built to give you 15 years of relief from your overactive bladder. The procedure is outpatient, allowing you to return home the same or next day. Sacral nerve stimulation surgery recovery will take several weeks and possibly up to two months to completely heal.
Discomfort from the device is rare. Less than 2% of patients experience any discomfort at the implant site (2). Sacral nerve stimulation side effects will be explained by your physician prior to the procedure. If you choose to move forward with the procedure, sacral nerve stimulation after care will also be discussed.
How Sacral Neuromodulation Therapy Works
Axonics sacral neuromodulation therapy stimulates the nerves that control your bladder and bowel using a small implanted device. Stimulation from the device restores proper function to your urinary system, reducing your overactive bladder symptoms.
Sacral Neuromodulation Therapy Results
What would you do with more time and less discomfort? Sacral neuromodulation therapy from the Axonics Therapy device is clinically-proven to help you regain control of your bladder and bowel. Over 9 out of 10 (93%) patients are satisfied with their therapy, and nearly 9 out of 10 (89%) experienced a reduction in their urinary incontinence (UUI) symptoms (2).
Candidates for Sacral Neuromodulation Therapy
“Am I a candidate for sacral neuromodulation therapy?”
To determine if you are a candidate for sacral nerve stimulation for urinary incontinence and overactive bladder with the Axonics Therapy implant, you must complete an exam and an evaluation period. During the exam, your doctor will review your medical history, body, and conduct tests to see if you may benefit from the therapy. If your doctor decides that you may benefit from the Axonics device, you will go through an evaluation period.
During the evaluation period, your doctor will fit you with a test version of sacral neuromodulation therapy. This version of the therapy will test how your body reacts to the treatment, and determine if it will provide relief. You will now have enough information to know if you want to make a long-term commitment to overactive bladder relief through sacral neuromodulation therapy. If you decide to move forward with treatment, your doctor will schedule an outpatient procedure to implant the small Axonics device near the top of your buttock.
What you experience with sacral neuromodulation therapy may be different from other patients. To discuss expected results, benefits, and risks, visit www.axonics.com/isi.
When an Overactive Bladder Goes Untreated
For many patients, an overactive bladder is a chronic condition, making it difficult, if not impossible, to cure. While you may not be able to find a cure for overactive bladder, finding improvement is possible. However, your overactive bladder will not fix itself.
Natural bladder control methods, including scheduling bathroom breaks and Kegel exercises, may bring you some relief depending on the cause of your OAB. As a condition that worsens with age, if you don't act, you may develop additional symptoms or experience more severe overactive bladder symptoms.
An overactive bladder can also disrupt your sleep and your sex life. Don’t let OAB into your bedroom!
Escape the frustration and exhaustion of your overactive bladder and find long-term relief with sacral neuromodulation therapy.
References:
- Can You Have Overactive Bladder at a Young Age? (Healthline)
- Company data on file, ARTISAN·SNM Clinical Study (NCT03327948)
