Neurogenic Bladder

Neurogenic Bladder

Neurogenic bladder refers to what happens when the relationship between the nervous system and bladder function is disrupted by injury or disease. It cannot be cured but can be managed. Treatment options include medications, use of catheters and lifestyle changes.

Neurogenic bladder is the term for what happens when neurological (nervous system) conditions affect the way your bladder works. There are two major types of bladder control problems linked to neurogenic bladder. Depending on the nerves involved and the nature of the damage, your bladder becomes either overactive (spastic or hyper-reflexive) or underactive (flaccid or hypotonic).

Causes

Neurogenic bladder can be congenital (present at birth). Birth defects that can cause neurogenic bladder include:

• Spina bifida (myelomeningocele): This disorder occurs when the spine doesn’t completely develop during the first month of pregnancy. Babies born with myelomeningocele often have paralysis or weakness that affects how their bladder works.
• Sacral agenesis:This is a condition in which parts of the lower spine are missing.
• Cerebral palsy: Cerebral palsy refers to a group of chronic (long-term) disorders that weaken a person's ability to control body movement and posture. These disorders result from injury to the motor areas of their brain. The problem causing cerebral palsy may occur while during development or after birth. Cerebral palsy isn’t always found during a child's first year of life.

Medical conditions that involve the nervous system can cause neurogenic bladder. Common causes include:

Symptoms

The most common symptom of neurogenic bladder is being unable to control urination. Other neurogenic bladder symptoms include:

• A weak or dribbling urinary stream.
• Frequent urination (urinating eight or more times daily).
• Urgency (a feeling or need to urinate immediately).
• Painful urination, which may mean there is a urinary tract infection.
• Urinary leakage.