Know the Bladder Function and Risk Factors Affecting Health

The function of a healthy bladder is to store urine until it is expelled by the body. However, this function can be disrupted if there is an infection in the bladder or other health problems. The bladder is part of the urinary system in the human body. In addition to the kidneys, other organs included in this system are the ureter which drains urine from the kidneys into the bladder, as well as the urethra that secretes urine from the bladder out of the body. Before being expelled from the body, urine produced by the kidneys will empty first in the bladder. Urine is a filter from waste and fluid from the blood. The function of the bladder holds urine produced by the kidneys and secretes it through the process of urination. Your bladder can hold as much as 400 - 600 ml of urine.

Risk Factors That Influence Bladder Function

Bladder function can be disrupted when your health is problematic or declining, or it can also be caused by age factors. As we get older, the bladder wall will change. The elastic tissue in the bladder becomes stiffer, muscles are weakened, and the flexibility of the bladder to expand when filled with urine is reduced. The bladder cannot hold as much urine as before. In women, a weakened bladder muscle can cause the bladder and vagina to fall so that it presses and blocks the urinary tract. While in men, the urinary tract can be obstructed by an enlarged prostate gland. In addition, several conditions that can also interfere with bladder function include:

• Bladder stones.

This stone can form in the kidneys and descend into the bladder. Bladder stones that block urine flow from or to the bladder can cause severe pain.

• Urinary incontinence.

That is the difficulty to hold back urination which can cause urination accidentally. This condition can be caused by several factors. You can discuss possible causes of this condition with your doctor.

• Urinary retention.

This condition occurs when urine does not come out of the bladder smoothly due to blocked or depressed bladder muscle activity. Urinary retention can cause the bladder to swell because it holds too much urine.

• An overactive bladder or overactive bladder.

This condition is one of the most common causes of urinary incontinence. This condition is caused by a bladder muscle that is overactive and causes urine to pass due to the contraction of the muscle.

• Cystitis

Inflammation or infection of the bladder that causes pain, discomfort or hesitation to urinate, or causes urination to become more frequent. Cystitis is usually caused by urinary tract infections and urine catheter placement.

To be able to diagnose this condition, the doctor will conduct a medical history and conduct a physical examination. The doctor can also do a urine examination or insert a tube containing the camera into the urinary tract and see the condition of the bladder. Treatment of bladder disorders also varies, ranging from medication, Kegel exercises, catheter placement to reduce pressure in the bladder, to surgery. Contact your doctor immediately if you find it difficult to control urination, or symptoms such as easy or more frequent bedwetting unnoticed, even though the urine that comes out is not large in number. Beware of complaints such as pain when urinating, the color of dark urine such as tea, bloody urine, back pain, and fever.