Understanding Neurogenic Bladder Disorder

Have you been diagnosed with neurogenic bladder disorder? Being informed is a great first step in managing and treating this condition. Learn some essential information about neurogenic bladder as well as other issues that may arise. 

Get the facts about neurogenic bladder disorder

Have you been diagnosed with neurogenic bladder disorder? Being informed is a great first step in managing and treating this condition. Learn some essential information about neurogenic bladder as well as other issues that may arise.

What is neurogenic bladder disorder?

A neurogenic bladder means that you have some type of bladder control problem caused by an injury or by an illness of the nerves, spinal cord or brain. Put simply, your bladder, brain and sphincter are not communicating well. If you understand how the urinary system works, you also know that nerve impulses between the brain, spinal cord and bladder are essential to normal bodily functions.

There are a variety of symptoms that may occur with a neurogenic bladder, depending on your unique condition:

• You may experience frequent or infrequent urination or possibly incontinence. Your urinary sphincters may also work incorrectly (the way your bladder and sphincters behave depends on the location of the neurologic disorder in your brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves, and the extent of your disease or injury).
• If your bladder empties too frequently, it may be overactive. Your body is unable to store as much urine as it should, causing more frequent urination than if you had a normal bladder. Symptoms may include urinating more than once at night, a strong urgent desire to urinate and increased frequency of urination (more than 8 times in 24 hours).
• Some neurologic disorders prevent the bladder from emptying properly. Your underactive bladder fills with urine, yet you do not have the feeling to urinate or your bladder does not squeeze to make the urine come out.
• Neurologic disorders or injuries can also cause the urinary sphincters to function improperly. They may not close or open at the right times, or they may not close at all. In a condition called detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, the pelvic floor muscles contract and close the urethra when the bladder contracts, preventing the bladder from emptying. This can cause urine to flow up the ureters towards the kidneys, possibly damaging them. Urinary tract and bladder infections can occur with this condition and you may have symptoms like incontinence and constipation.

Watch out for urinary tract infections (UTIs)

If you have a neurogenic bladder disorder you may have occasional or frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs occur when there is increased bacteria (or other microorganisms) inside the bladder lining, urethra or kidneys. This may be due to not emptying the bladder completely. In men, UTIs can also include the genitals, prostate and testicles.

It is important to contact your healthcare provider at the first sign of a UTI.