Pelvic floor exercises

What is overactive bladder (OAB)?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is when your bladder acts like it needs to empty even when it isn’t full. You may feel a strong, sudden urge to pee.

Overactive bladder (OAB) can be upsetting but it is treatable.

 

Speak to your GP if you are experiencing:

  • Urgency to pee (a sudden, hard-to-ignore need to go)
  • Frequent peeing (needing to pee more often than you are used to)
  • Bladder trouble at night (waking to pee)
  • Bladder leaks or urine leakage (sometimes called “wee accidents”)

What is Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Overactive bladder(OAB) is a common bladder condition. It may give you a sudden, strong urge to pee. You may need to pee more often than you are used to, including at night.

 

If this is affecting your day-to-day activities, your sleep, or your confidence, it's worth talking to your GP. 
Help is available. You are not alone.

Approximately 350,000 Irish people,

may be affected by OAB.1

Overactive bladder (OAB), explained simply

Your bladder is meant to fill up, then empty when you decide it’s the right time. With overactive bladder, the bladder can “switch on” too early. It may squeeze when it isn’t very full. This can create a strong urge to pee that is hard to ignore.

Elderly woman hand flushing toilet

Some people describe this as:

  • a sensitive bladder
  • urgency
  • loss of bladder control
  • feeling like they can’t hold their pee

How the bladder works

test

A healthy bladder stores urine and empties when you decide it’s the right time. Understanding how it works can help you understand why bladder control problems happen.

 
Step 1: The bladder fills

Your kidneys make urine all the time. Urine travels down two tubes (the ureters) into the bladder. The bladder is a stretchy muscle that stores urine until you’re ready to pee.

A healthy bladder can usually hold around 300–500 ml comfortably.

 
Step 2: Your bladder sends signals

As your bladder fills, nerves send messages to your brain. These signals build up slowly, so you get some warning and can plan a toilet visit.

 
Step 3: You “hold on”

Muscles help keep urine in the bladder until it’s a good time to go:

  • Sphincter muscles help keep the bladder closed
  • Pelvic floor muscles support the bladder and help prevent leaks
Step 4: The bladder empties

When you decide to pee, your brain sends signals that:

  • tighten the bladder muscle to push urine out
  • relax the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles

Urine leaves the body through the urethra.

What can change with a sensitive or overactive bladder?
With overactive bladder, the bladder may send “time to go” signals too early. Or it may squeeze when you don’t want it to. This can lead to urgency, frequent peeing, waking at night, and sometimes bladder leaks.

What should you do next?

If you think you may have overactive bladder (OAB), the best next step is to talk to your GP.
They can help rule out other causes and suggest treatments that can help you feel more in control.

 

Overactive bladder is common, and GPs discuss bladder symptoms every day. If you’re noticing these changes, booking an appointment is a positive next step - your GP will listen, and talk you through treatment options.

 

Noting down your bladder habit can make the conversation easier. Consider keeping track of:

  • how often you pee
  • how much you drink
  • urgency and any leaks
  • how often you wake at night
Maintaining a healthy urinary tract
Bladder Control Questionnaire

Talking to your GP about your symptoms is the best place to start.

Keep notes or follow our bladder diary template

 

MAT-IE-NON-2026-00048 July 2026