Vaginal laser treatment effective for treating overactive bladder syndrome: Study

Thailand: Vaginal laser surgery is effective for the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women, new research has suggested. Also, there were only a few documented adverse events. 

The study findings were published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), on February 28, 2023. 

Approximately 33% of American women will experience overactive bladder syndrome (OAB), which interferes with daily activities, social functioning, and sleep quality. There have been few studies focused on treatments for this disorder.

Overactive bladder syndrome is defined as urinary urgency, usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia with or without urgency urinary incontinence, in the absence of a urinary infection or other related medical problem. As women age, they are more likely to experience symptoms.

The most common treatments for OAB include behavior therapies, pharmacologic management, injections, and localized nerve stimulation. Erbium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Erbium YAG) vaginal laser treatment is already used to treat various symptoms of the genitourinary syndrome of menopause, vaginal relaxation syndrome, and pelvic organ prolapse by increasing epithelial thickness and stimulating the growth of new collagen and blood vessels.