An overactive bladder can be self diagnosed early if you pay attention to the signs that are directly in front of you. There are many different symptoms of overactive bladder OAB that will be detailed below, but the key is to pay attention to trends over a longer period of time. It sounds trite, but simply keeping a journal of symptoms is really the best way to divorce yourself from the emotion of self-diagnosis to understand if you have an issue.

The following conditions will help guide the way as you determine the severity of your issues:

1. Sudden need to urinate

A telltale sign of an overactive bladder is having a frequent need to urinate in a situation that feels like an emergency. There is no worse feeling that getting that urge in a situation where facilities are not around. This creates a panicked feeling that will take the joy out of any situation.

2. Uncontrolled urge to urinate

Another sign of an overactive bladder is when you feel like you cannot control the urge to urinate. There are so many different feelings that your body is regulating, but when your urge to urinate cannot be regulated consistently it is time to start taking notice of that condition and determine the frequency.

3. Loss of urine

If you have a loss of urine and that is paired with the uncontrollable nature of your urination that can lead you to really feel like you need some enhancement in your life. There are options that you can take such as adult diapers if that helps you feel supported, but the loss of urine is another sign that you may have an overactive bladder.

4. Waking up to urinate

This symptom is known as ‘nocturia’ by some people and it is very often a sleep killer. The total impact really tends to build on itself because you find that you really can’t get a good night of sleep because you are constantly waking up. Again the frequency and situation of when you are waking up is critically important. You need to understand your hydration level and the circumstances around your sleeping set up to determine if it is an overactive bladder that is truly making you wake up.

5. Frequent urination

This is the obvious sign that is saved for last here because it is a critical piece of an overactive bladder. Your trips to the bathroom can be easily documented so you really should look at the number of trips over a period of time. If you are seeing a normalized level that is elevated over your previous experience with hydration level being a constant then you may have an overactive bladder.

If you pay attention to the signs that are listed above and document the frequency of occurrences you can make an informed decision on whether or not you may have an overactive bladder. This may also help you if you decide to consult a doctor when you are able to answer questions with your observations in hand. Remember that you know your body and habits the best so being observant will help your cause. If you get a diagnosis early you will be better equipped to adjust your lifestyle and potentially even get medical treatment that will help you live a more comfortable life.