Frequently need to pee? App-based therapy can help, finds research
Combining pelvic floor exercises with behavioural therapy could be more effective than current medical treatments at helping men with frequent urges to urinate, new research in men has found.
The initial results from the Bladder Emptying Disorder Therapy (BEST) Trial are presented today [Monday 8 April 2024] at the European Association of Urology Congress in Paris. They reveal that an app-based therapy leads to significant improvements in the lower urinary tract symptoms that many millions of men experience – hesitancy, straining, frequent urges to urinate and emptying the bladder effectively. Full results of the trial are expected to be published later this year.
Carried out in Germany, this is the world’s first randomised controlled trial to look at combining pelvic floor training, behavioural therapy and bladder control techniques for mild, moderate and severe bladder emptying disorders in men, all delivered as an app-based therapeutic.
Bladder emptying disorders can start to appear from the age of 30 and typically affect a large proportion of men aged over 50.
While clinical guidelines recommend physiotherapy, behavioural therapy and lifestyle changes as a first line of treatment, they are often neglected by clinicians due to a lack of available evidence. Several unpleasant side effects are associated with the few drugs available, and surgery is only advised for those with severe symptoms.