Bladder Health
Bladder problems are common in adults of every age and easy to hide, which is one reason they are under-studied. Research in this area needs people willing to say so.
- Overactive bladder
- Leaking when you laugh
- Repeat bladder infections
- Bladder pain
- Night-time urination
What studies here look at
Overactive bladder studies test tablets, injections into the bladder wall and gentle nerve stimulation to calm sudden urges and leaks. Most ask you to keep a bladder diary for a few days at a time, noting drinks, trips to the bathroom and any leaks.
Other studies look at women who leak when they cough, laugh or exercise, testing devices, pelvic floor programs and surgery. Research on repeat urinary infections is testing vaccines and ways to avoid antibiotics.
Who studies often look for
Adults who need to rush to the bathroom many times a day
Women who leak when they cough, sneeze or exercise
People who have had several bladder infections in a year
Adults with bladder pain that has no clear cause
Each study sets its own requirements. Read this as the people who tend to be asked, not as a checklist.
What taking part might involve
Four things studies in this area often ask of the people who take part.
A bladder diary
A few days of notes on what you drink and when you go, repeated during the study.
A urine sample
Checked for infection at most visits.
A bladder scan
A quick ultrasound to see how much urine stays behind after you go.
Pelvic floor sessions
In some studies, guided exercises with a specialist physical therapist.
Questions for the study team
Take these to your first call, and note the answers.
- How many days will I need to keep the bladder diary?
- Is there any internal examination, and who carries it out?
- Can I keep using pads or the medicine I already take?
Hear about studies in this area
Sign up with Bladder Health as your area and your ZIP code, and we will text you when a study near you lines up.
Sign up for this areaSee what is recruiting today
ClinicalTrials.gov is the public U.S. list of studies. This search shows recruiting studies for overactive bladder.
Open the registry search