Neurogenic bladder is a problem in which a person lacks bladder control due to a brain or nerve condition.
See also: Urinary incontinence
Several muscles and nerves must work together for your bladder to hold urine until you're ready to empty it. Nerve messages go back and forth between the brain and the muscles that control bladder emptying. If these nerves are damaged by illness or injury, the muscles may not be able to tighten or relax at the right time.
Disorders of the central nervous system commonly cause neurogenic bladder. This can include:
Damage or disorders of the nerves that supply the bladder can also cause this condition. This can include:
The specific symptoms depend on the cause, and may include:
Symptoms of overactive bladder:
Symptoms of underactive bladder:
Medications may help manage your symptoms. Your doctor may recommend:
Your doctor may refer you someone who has been trained to help people manage bladder problems. Skills or techniques you may learn include:
Learn to recognize the symptoms of urinary infections, such as burning when you urinate, fever, low back pain on one side, and a more frequent need to urinate.
Some people may need to use a urinary catheter. This is a thin tube that is inserted into your bladder:
Sometimes surgery is needed. Surgeries for neurogenic bladder include:
Call you health care provider if you:
Wein AJ. Lower urinary tract dysfunction in neurologic injury and disease. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 59.
Reviewed by: Kevin Sheth, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine;David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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