What causes overactive bladder?
While the causes are not completely understood, it is likely that overactive bladder occurs when the signals from the brain to the bladder are disrupted.
Normally, muscles called sphincters control the flow of urine in and out of the bladder, while muscles in the bladder wall enable the urine to be expelled when the bladder is full and the urethral sphincter relaxes. If this process breaks down, and the bladder wall muscles contract inappropriately when the bladder is not full or when the urethral sphincter is not relaxed, the person constantly feels the need to go to the toilet.
Overactive bladder is a particular problem for people with nerve damage due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis.
The protocol for the Dignity study has undergone the appropriate review by regulatory authorities and ethics committees.
