---
title: "About Overactive Bladder (OAB)"
url: https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/its-time-to-talk-about-oab/about-oab/
description: "If you've ever had that \"gotta go\" feeling, or the sudden urge to urinate that you cannot control or make you feel that you won't make it to the bathroom i"
---

# About Overactive Bladder (OAB)

If you've ever had that "gotta go" feeling, or the sudden urge to urinate that you cannot control or make you feel that you won't make it to the bathroom in time, you may have overactive bladder.

Archived from the 2019 campaign edition

## What is overactive bladder

This strong urge is one of the main signs that you may be living with overactive bladder (OAB). This is different from "stress urinary incontinence," or "SUI," when you leak urine while sneezing, laughing or other physical effort.

Overactive bladder is the name for a group of urinary symptoms. The archived campaign page listed three main symptoms: a sudden feeling that you have to go to the bathroom right away; a leak of urine with that feeling; and a need to urinate often, day and night.

## Who gets OAB

The archived page stated that both men and women get OAB, and that as many as 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women in the United States live with OAB symptoms. It also noted that growing older is a factor, but that OAB is not a normal part of aging.

## What the campaign was for

The campaign's own statement of purpose, kept here as it was written: "Our goal is to get people talking openly about overactive bladder. We want to reduce any stigma people might feel about OAB symptoms." Its strapline was "Get the facts. Get diagnosed. Take control."

## Where to read more

- [The full A-Z entry for Overactive Bladder (OAB)](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/urology-a-z/o/overactive-bladder-(oab)/)
- [The archived OAB patient guide contents](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/overactive-bladder/)

### About this archive

This site keeps the overactive-bladder campaign material and the A-Z urology entries that were published on this domain, at their original addresses.

[Read the full note](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/about-us/)

### Related topics

- [About OAB](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/its-time-to-talk-about-oab/about-oab/)
- [Overactive Bladder: Patient Guide](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/overactive-bladder/)
- [Urologic Conditions](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/urologic-conditions/)
- [Educational Materials](https://itstimetotalkaboutoab.org/educational-materials/)

### This is not medical advice

These pages are archived reference copies of material published on this domain. They are not medical advice, not a diagnosis and not a substitute for talking with a health professional.