Fellowship-Trained Urogynecologist
Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery
Green Bay, Wisconsin
✓ Medically reviewed May 15, 2026
Can overactive bladder be cured?
Overactive bladder is a condition we can manage very well, even if it’s not “cured” in the traditional sense. Most women see real improvement with the right approach. Many reach a point where symptoms no longer get in the way of daily life.
Why “managed” rather than “cured”
OAB involves how your bladder muscle and nervous system talk to each other. Unlike a broken bone that heals or an infection that clears, the tendency for your bladder muscle to squeeze on its own may stick around. But treatments can reduce or stop the symptoms so well that the difference between “managed” and “cured” becomes mostly academic.
We work with each patient to set realistic goals based on what matters most to them. For some women, the goal is complete dryness. For others, it’s getting through a workday or a car ride without worry. Most women reach the goals they set. Some see complete resolution, while others have occasional urgency that’s mild and manageable.
Your treatment options
There are several effective treatments for OAB. You don’t have to try them in a fixed order. We talk through the options together and decide what makes the most sense for your life, your symptoms, and your preferences.
Behavioral approaches are often effective on their own:
- Bladder training, where you gradually space out your trips to the bathroom
- Fluid and dietary changes
- Pelvic floor therapy, which goes beyond Kegels to include strength, coordination, relaxation, and endurance training for the muscles that support your bladder
Medications can help when behavioral changes aren’t enough on their own:
- Anticholinergics or beta-3 agonists help calm the bladder muscle
- Side effects like dry mouth are common, and fewer than half of women stay on these medications past six months
Advanced therapies work well when other options haven’t met your goals:
- Botox injections into the bladder muscle (effects last about 6 to 9 months per treatment)
- Sacral neuromodulation, an implanted device that calms the nerve signals to your bladder (battery lasts 10 to 15 years with newer rechargeable devices)
- Tibial nerve stimulation, an office-based treatment done weekly at first, then about once a month for maintenance
Most women improve
Research supports what I see in the office. In a trial comparing Botox to anticholinergic medication, both groups saw similar drops in leaking episodes, and 27% of women on Botox achieved complete dryness. Sacral neuromodulation produces similar long-term results and doesn’t carry the increased UTI risk that Botox does. And tibial nerve stimulation, the least invasive of the advanced therapies, showed 77% of responders maintained improvement at three years with about one treatment per month.
The key is finding the right fit. We almost always find something that works.
References
- Lightner DJ, Gomelsky A, Souter L, Vasavada SP. Diagnosis and treatment of overactive bladder (non-neurogenic) in adults: AUA/SUFU guideline amendment 2019. J Urol. 2019;202(3):558-563. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000309
- Visco AG, Brubaker L, Richter HE, et al. Anticholinergic therapy vs onabotulinumtoxinA for urgency urinary incontinence. N Engl J Med. 2012;367(19):1803-1813. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1208872
- Amundsen CL, Komesu YM, Chermansky C, et al. Two-year outcomes of sacral neuromodulation versus onabotulinumtoxinA for refractory urgency urinary incontinence. Eur Urol. 2018;74(1):66-73. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.02.011
- Peters KM, Carrico DJ, Wooldridge LS, Miller CJ, MacDiarmid SA. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation for the long-term treatment of overactive bladder: 3-year results of the STEP study. J Urol. 2013;189(6):2194-2201. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2012.11.175
- Peters KM, Carrico DJ, Perez-Marrero RA, et al. Randomized trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus sham efficacy in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome: results from the SUmiT trial. J Urol. 2010;183(4):1438-1443. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2009.12.036
- Sanses TVD, Zillioux J, High RA, et al. Evidence-informed, interdisciplinary, multidimensional action plan to advance overactive bladder research and treatment initiatives. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2023;29(2):63-73. doi:10.1097/SPV.0000000000001274
- Wallace SL, Miller LD, Mishra K. Pelvic floor physical therapy in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction in women. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2019;31(6):485-493. doi:10.1097/GCO.0000000000000584
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