Urinary Tract Research
Bladder problems are numerous and varied. The most common problem affecting the most people, particularly the elderly, is incontinence. Urinary incontinence is inability to control loss of urine. About one third of older people have some problem of bladder control. Nursing homes are usually half-filled with people who have urinary incontinence. A constant stream of urine which originates in the kidneys flows into the bladder from tubes called ureters. The urine is retained in the bladder until it is full, then the nerves relay this data to the brain, causing the person to have a desire to urinate. At the bottom of the bladder there is a muscle called the sphincter which stays closed until the person decides to urinate or wait a while. When the person decides to urinate the sphincter relaxes. This allows urine to flow out through the uretha while at the same time muscles in the bladder wall flex to push the urine out. This is a complicated process and many things can happen to disrupt the process. When this happens there is a loss of control which is incontinence.
There are many types of urinary incontinence which include stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, psychogenic incontinence, total incontinence, and neurogenic incontinence. Stress incontinence is uncontrolled loss of urine from straining or doing something that pressures the abdomen such as coughing, heavy lifting or exercise. A. weakness in the sphincter could be a cause of this. Overflow incontinence is from a full bladder that has a small leakage and is the result of the bladder becoming enlarged and insensitive due to continued retention of urine. When there is a constant drip of urine from the uretha twenty-four hours a day, it is a condition of total incontinence. This is because the sphincter does not close properly and could be a birth defect when the uretha did not close off as a tube. Total incontinence could also happen to men because.of an injury during surgery for prostate removal. Women may get total incontinence from an injury during child birth. Psychogenic incontinence is not a common condition and it is the result of emotional problems, distress or depression.
Many people are embarrassed because of incontinence and do nothing about it, but most people can be helped and mainly by natural methods. Many people can control incontinence by setting up a schedule of urination such as every hour or every two hours.
This eliminates the times when a full bladder may cause an uncontrolled urination. By keeping the bladder partially empty there will be no sudden urge. Drugs that adversely affect urination should be discontinued as well as nutritional irritants such as caffiene. There are many exercises that will strengthen the sphincter and pelvic muscles such as the Kegel exercises. Under a doctor's care certain drugs may be helpful. A doctor may prescribe estrogen treatment for women if the situation warrants it. If nothing can be done there is specialized clothing and other pads that will help protect the person, allowing a normal social life.
Apart from incontinence, bladder and urinary tract infections are the most common problems. Most of these can be healed with natural solutions including intake of water or certain liquids of six to eight glasses a day. Cranberry juice or D Mannose are excellent for urinary and bladder infections. Antibiotics should be avoided unless prescribed by the doctor.
