Bladder and Its Functioning
The bladder aka Urinary Bladder is one of the components of the urinary system along with kidneys, ureters, and urethra. It is a sac-like organ situated in the lower abdomen of an individual. The urine formation takes place in the kidneys and its storage is done in the bladder while ureters help in passing down urine from kidney to bladder. The bladder’s job is to hold onto urine for some time by relaxing its muscular wall and passing urine out of the body. If you suspect any problem with your bladder, you should consult a bladder treatment doctor in Hyderabad. In case you neglect your bladder issue, chances are that you may suffer from serious health issues like kidney damage.
How Urinary Bladder Functions?
The urethra is the external tube of the bladder which is tightened with bladder muscle relaxation to prevent urine leakage. When the bladder gets filled with some amount of urine, the nerves in the bladder send signals to the brain and the person feels an urge to urinate. The passing of urine out of the body is done by contraction of the bladder muscles and relaxation of the urethra.
A healthy bladder passes out urine in a voluntary, controlled manner. Normally, a person urinates 4 to 8 times a day. Unfortunately, some people, specifically females of all ages, experience issues in their bladder functioning. Their urological problems with their bladder make them very frustrated and negatively impact their routine activities, emotional well-being, sexual health, and quality of life. Luckily everyone with bladder conditions can be helped and many of them can get completely cured.
Some Common Bladder Conditions
- Bedwetting- This usually happens with small children but adults too can experience it. It is due to the difficulty in waking up and going to the washroom when the bladder is full.
- Urinary incontinence- It is the unwelcome urine leakage, commonly experienced by women than in men. This mainly happens due to weak pelvic floor muscles providing less support to the bladder or urethra; an overactive bladder that causes urine to pass before the person sits on the toilet seat due to muscle contraction; or incomplete emptying of bladder (mostly due to enlarged prostate). For Best Urinary Incontinence Treatment in Hyderabad visit Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery Clinic.
- Cystitis- It is the bacterial infection of the bladder which makes the bladder lining inflamed. Mostly it affects women and antibiotics can help treat it.
- Bladder stones- These are stones made up of proteins and minerals. They have rough surfaces and can cause infection or bleeding of the bladder. People who are more likely to have bladder stones include aged men, people with chronic mild dehydration, those having hormonal imbalances, people living in hot climates, and men with enlarged prostate. One can get Urinary Tract / Bladder Stones Treatment in Hyderabad under the expert care of top urologists at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery Clinic.
- Overactive bladder- It is the condition where the person passes urine suddenly and involuntarily because of the contraction in the muscular wall of the bladder. This can happen even if the bladder has very little urine.
- Paruresis (shy bladder syndrome)- It is the condition where the person finds difficulty in urinating or does not pass urine when others are around. It is a common kind of social phobia.
- Cystocele (bladder prolapse)- It is a condition seen only in women due to the weakening of the wall between their bladder and vagina. It is a discomforting condition where the bladder bulges out from the vagina and it can lead to issues with emptying of the bladder. This condition is more likely seen in women after childbirth, women who strain during bowel movements, women who are smokers, and women who have chronic cough or obesity.
- Bladder polyps- It is the condition wherein the bladder lining shows abnormal growths called polyps which could be benign or malignant. The condition is mostly seen in men and smokers.
- Bladder cancer- It is a serious, life-threatening bladder condition. The cancer cells can be found in the bladder lining (transitional cells bladder cancer). Bladder cancer is of two kinds- Superficial/Papillary and Invasive. If the cancer cells remain constrained in the bladder lining, the condition is known as papillary bladder cancer, and if it spreads to the muscular layer and beyond, it is called invasive bladder cancer. For diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer in Hyderabad, visit Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery Clinic.
Causes of Bladder Conditions
Many bladder conditions are the result of bacterial infections which first affect the urinary tract and reach the bladder. The ways by which bacteria can enter the bladder via the urinary tract include:
- Sexual intercourse
- Use of tampons, douches, and spermicides
- Lack of personal hygiene and back splashing after using the washroom
- Bowel incontinence.
Other potential common reasons behind bladder condition include:
- Allergic reaction
- Autoimmune condition
- A defect in the bladder lining
- Exposure to chemicals and toxins
- Intake of bladder-irritating substances
- Parasitic infections
- Urinary blockage
- Previous radiation exposure
- The short urethra of women
- Surgery of prostate cancer in men
- Weak pelvic floor
- Hormonal changes.
At Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery Clinic, best treatment for all types of bladder diseases is offered and they offer promising treatment for people looking for Stress Incontinence or Urinary Incontinence Treatment in Hyderabad.
Symptoms of Bladder Conditions
Bladder conditions are of various kinds and severities and so their symptoms vary.
Common signs and symptoms of having issues with the bladder include:
- A cloudy urine
- A strong foul-smelling urine
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating (due to infection)
- Pain or discomfort while having sex
- Pain felt in the lower back, just beneath the lower ribs
- Lower abdominal pain or pressure
- Urinary frequency- often needing to pee
- Nocturia- passing urine frequently at night
- Urinary retention- there is the urge to urinate but can’t initiate urine flow
- Urinary incontinence- leaking of urine before managing to use the washroom
- Haematuria- Blood in urine
- Urinary urgency- a strong and constant urge to pee.
Diagnosis of Bladder Conditions
To identify the bladder condition and its severity, a urologist first reviews the patient's medical records and conducts a thorough physical exam. Next, the urologist orders some diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis. Some of the tests include:
- Medical imaging tests- These include MRI scans, CT scans, or lower abdomen ultrasound. These tests provide detailed, 3D images of the bladder to help detect the exact problem with it.
- Cystoscopy- In this procedure, the urologist threads a cystoscope through the urethra to the bladder to visualise the inside of the bladder and check for any blockages. The procedure lasts for about 5-10 minutes.
- Intravenous pyelogram- The procedure involves the use of a combination of X-rays and injectable dye to see the inside of the bladder and understand its working.
Treatment Options for Bladder Conditions
There are several options for urinary bladder treatment in Hyderabad available to address bladder conditions and relieve their symptoms. A urologist customises the treatment of the patient with a bladder problem as per the patient’s lifestyle, specific condition, and health goals.
Some of the treatment options available at our clinic include:
- Cystectomy (Bladder removal in Hyderabad)- A uro-surgeon may remove the bladder with either of the three approaches: Open surgery, Laparoscopic surgery, or Robotic surgery.
- Bladder reconstruction- If the patient has undergone cystectomy, the urine passing from the kidney to the outside of the body is again possible with a reconstructed bladder. A bladder reconstruction surgery in Hyderabad involves building a new bladder using the patient’s tissues, typically from the small intestine.
- Bladder-sparing treatment for bladder cancer- This surgery involves the removal of the bladder tumour while leaving most of the healthy tissues behind and then doing chemotherapy to kill the remaining cancer cells.
- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Intravesical therapies for bladder cancer- BCG is effective in the recovery of patients with bladder cancer as well as in cancer prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions on Urinary Bladder
How can I prevent bladder issues?
First and foremost, you should be practising good personal hygiene and washroom habits and also keep your body well-hydrated. Additionally, you should be maintaining healthy body weight and lifestyle, keep your chronic health issues like diabetes and hypertension under control, avoid smoking, take a healthy diet, do regular exercise, maintain strong pelvic floor muscles, and minimise intake of acidic foods, nicotine, and caffeine as these can irritate the bladder.
When should I seek support for my bladder problem?
As per urologists, you should consult a urologist for help with your bladder problem if your life has been considerably impacted and it's difficult for you to lead a normal routine.
What are the first signs of bladder cancer?
Bladder cancer can present itself in a variety of ways in affected individuals. Perhaps, the most commonly noticed, first sign of bladder cancer is the blood or clots in urine. Other symptoms include urinary frequency, urinary urgency, and pain in the bladder area before and after urination. Smokers and aged people are at high risk of bladder cancer.
Schedule an Appointment
If experiencing any bladder problems, get help today by reaching out to our top-notch urologists at Sree Nandaka Advanced Surgery Clinic. We can help diagnose and treat a range of bladder conditions in Hyderabad including rare or complex ones. We offer the newest, advanced treatment options for your bladder conditions at affordable prices.
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Hyderabad, Telangana 500014, India.
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