One in four Irish women aged between 40 and 70 has experienced symptoms of an overactive bladder (OAB), however almost half of these have not visited their GP with the condition, new research has found.

According to the findings, at least one in five women aged over 40 would be too embarrassed to go to their GP with OAB symptoms, while almost one in five believe the condition is part of ageing and ‘can't be helped'.

Almost one in four has never even heard of the condition.

OAB affects how your bladder behaves. It is an involuntray and sudden contraction or squeezing of the muscle in the wall of the bladder. Symptoms include an urgent need to pass urine, frequently needing to go to the toilet and in some cases, accidental leakage of urine if the toilet has not been reached in time. 

According to Dr Gerry Agnew, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital, it is ‘worrying' that such a large number of women would not seek help for OAB due to embarrassment or uncertainty.

"Clearly it is understandable that a level of embarrassment would exist around the issue, but as clinicians we know how prevalent and treatable OAB is and we have a role in encouraging our patients to discuss any symptoms they may be experiencing," he commented.

Over 300 women were surveyed for the research, three in four of whom were aware of OAB. However over 40% of these viewed the condition as simply a sign of ageing.

Many of those surveyed said they were unaware of the cause of OAB and did not know about treatments for the condition. In fact, at least one in four was not aware that treatments exist, while one in three thought surgery was the only treatment.

Meanwhile, one in eight thought OAB was ‘just part of being a woman'.

"The role of medical treatments for OAB needs to be addressed among our patients, with particular attention to how medication, in conjunction with lifestyle measures, can help treat OAB symptoms in both the short and long-term," commented Dr Agnew.

The research was conducted by Astellas and was launched to coincide with World Continence Week (June 18-25). For more information on OAB, click here