DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Thank you for addressing the embarrassing health problem of overactive bladder. I was diagnosed with it and suffered urine leaking and bathroom-dashing for years. My doctor put me on Detrol, which did not work and gave me the worst dry mouth I have ever experienced. He recently changed me to Enablex, and it has changed my life. Now I don’t worry about having an “accident,” and I don’t suffer from the horrible dry mouth. – D.C.

ANSWER: An overactive bladder – also called urge incontinence – is urine leakage that occurs because the bladder muscles contract strongly, suddenly and involuntarily when the bladder is not completely filled. The person has to dash to the bathroom before urine gushes out. This is different from stress incontinence, the kind of urine leak that occurs upon laughing, coughing, sneezing or lifting a heavy object.

One way of controlling overactive bladder is bladder retraining. A person times the intervals between bathroom visits and then deliberately lengthens them by five to 15 minutes. Every four days to a week, he or she increases the interval by another five minutes, and gradually works to the point where there is a three-hour gap between bladder emptyings.

Losing weight (when applicable) and avoiding caffeinated beverages help. So does cutting back on the amount of fluid drunk.

Many medicines can calm the overactive bladder muscles. Most of the medicines that do so also dry the mouth and might cause constipation. Enablex belongs to the class of medicines that has those side effects in some people. I’m glad it didn’t for you. People have to experiment to find the medicine that suits them the best. Names of other such medicines include Detrol, Ditropan, Vesicare and Sanctura. There is a skin-patch medicine, Oxytrol Patch, that works for three to four days before it must be changed.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I had Bell’s palsy twice when I was young. I am 67 and have lived in fear that I would get it again. I did not recover 100 percent after either episode. My brother came down with it too and did not have a complete recovery. Does it come back many times?

One person told me that it is caused by herpes zoster, the chickenpox virus. She was put on steroids and anti-inflammatory medicines. Another friend was treated with antibiotics and made a complete recovery. What is your opinion of these methods? – J.M.

ANSWER: Bell’s palsy is the sudden onset of weakness of facial muscles on one side of the face. The affected person cannot close the eye on that side, cannot draw the lips into a smile and has a hard time keeping food and saliva from dripping out the side of the mouth. People believe they have had a stroke. They haven’t. They have Bell’s palsy, an inflammation of the nerve that serves the face muscles and eyelids. Most authorities believe that the inflammation comes from an infection of the nerve by the herpes virus type 1, the virus that causes cold sores. The herpes zoster virus, the virus of shingles and childhood chickenpox, can also infect the nerve, but it usually causes an outbreak of shingles rash. That can happen on the ear and in the ear canal.

Prednisone (a cortisone – steroid – drug) along with acyclovir or valacyclovir (antiviral drugs) shortens the course of Bell’s palsy. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections and aren’t used for Bell’s. Maybe your friend meant antivirals.

Most make a complete recovery. A small number are left with some facial weakness, and an even smaller number have a greater disability. Bell’s can recur, but it is unusual for it to do so.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have AB, Rh-negative blood. A nurse tells me I can take O blood or most any other kind of blood. Can I? – E.K.

ANSWER: People with AB red blood cells can take A, B, AB or O red blood cells. They are universal recipients.

However, people who have Rh-negative red blood cells should receive only Rh-negative blood.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com.