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Bladder Problems – Overactive Bladder, UTIs, Bladder Cancer And More

17th September, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Bladder problems are not generally serious (although there are exceptions, like bladder cancer), but they can certainly be extremely embarrassing and annoying in certain social situations.

Bladder problems happen more often as we get older. But some bladder problems, like shy bladder and bedwetting, also happen to the young.

This article is intended to provide a general understanding of how the human bladder functions, and the most typical bladder problems that afflict people everywhere – both young and old.

The bladder is a sac-like organ near the bottom of the abdomen. Its major job is storing your urine.

The bladder is lined with waterproof skin known as the transitional cell epithelium.|A waterproof tissue serves as a lining for the inside of the bladder. The medical name for this lining is the transitional cell epithelium.

Urine comes to the bladder from the kidneys through tubes called ureters. It is then expelled through a tube known as the urethra.

A normal adult bladder contains about 400 milliliters of urine.

As mentioned above, bladder problems become more common as people get older. It can be more difficult to control the bladder. This sometimes results in a condition called incontinence. Incontinence can also happen when there is a medical problem or disease that affects the bladder. There are various bladder control products available in drug stores and even grocery markets that help people who must cope with incontinence or bladder control challenges.

There are several kinds of bladder cancer. The most common kind begins in the lining of the cells inside of the bladder. This type is called urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) or transitional cell carcinoma (TCC).

A bladder infection is a bacterial infection that’s also known as a urinary tract infection or UTI. Although this type of infection can be very uncomfortable, it’s relatively simple to treat with antibiotics and can be cured quickly when treated properly.

An overactive bladder is a disorder caused by a sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder causes an urgent and unstoppable need to urinate. OA is also sometimes called urge incontinence and is a form of urinary incontinence or unintentional loss of urine.

Bladder Stones – Bladder stones are crystalline masses that come from minerals and proteins which naturally occur in urine. They are considerably less common than kidney stones.

Bladder Spasms – A bladder spasm is also called bladder instability. Usually bladder muscles are relaxed and only function when you urinate. But when the bladder is unstable, it sometimes contracts suddenly and without warning. This contraction is also referred to as a bladder spasm.

Bladder Prolapse – This condition is known medically as cystoceles. It is more often called fallen bladder or prolapsed bladder. Fallen bladder occurs in women when the front wall of the vagina, which holds up the bladder, becomes weak or loosens. The bladder may then begin to slip into the vagina. There are four different stages, but the basic result can be urinary difficulties, discomfort, and stress incontinence (which is urine leakage caused by sneezing, coughing, exertion, or some other physical condition).

Enuresis (More commonly called bedwetting) – Enuresis is, simply put, involuntary urination, usually during sleep. Bedwetting is more common in children and almost always no longer occurs as the child matures. However, repeated enuresis can be a sign or symptom other physical or emotional problems.

Paruresis – Paruresis is a disorder that is also commonly referred to as shy bladder, shy kidney, or bashful bladder. Both women and men can have to cope with paruresis, which is a type of social anxiety disorder in which the sufferer is unable to urinate when others are present, typically somewhere like a public restroom.

Although several bladder problems may be caused by emotional factors, it’s still a good idea to talk to your physician about them. He or she can suggest treatment options or prescribe products that will at least help you cope with these bladder problems if you have to face them.

Neal Kennedy is a retired TV and radio journalist who often writes on issues related to bladder problem symptoms and bladder control and incontinence. To read more of his articles, visit Bladder Problems and You at http://www.bladder-problems.info.