PROBLEMS WITH BLADDER CONTROL?

If you can't wait to to go to the toilet, or need to go more often than you think is normal, you could have OAB-an Overactive bladder

- LUCY ROBINSON

Whether it’s trying to hold it in on a car journey or while queuing for a flight, or making it through a long wedding ceremony, the summer poses different obstacles when it comes to bladder control. And for people with an overactive bladder, things can be particularly difficult, as symptoms get in the way of having a summer of fun.

“Having an overactive bladder (OAB) can make your life miserable. It may cause you to feel scared to leave the house in case you can’t get to a toilet in time, which can affect your social life and relationships,” explains Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (doctorfox. co.uk). “Additionally, it may make it hard to get a good night’s sleep [because of having to get up to wee] and this can cause you to feel tired or irritable.”

Most prevalent in people aged 65 and over, an overactive bladder is a relatively common condition. Women may begin to experience symptoms when they’re as young as 45 years old. But even though it affects millions of people across the globe, that doesn’t make it any easier to talk about.