Neurogenic Bladder

Neurogenic bladder is a nervous system condition that keeps you from having normal bladder control. It happens when the nerves that control your bladder get damaged, often due to illness or injury.

There are two types of neurogenic bladder.

 

• Overactive bladder causes you to have little or no control over your urination. It can also cause you to feel a sudden or frequent need to urinate. (It’s also called spastic or hyper-reflexive bladder).
• Underactive bladder occurs when your bladder muscles lose their ability to hold your urine. You’re no longer able to sense when your bladder is full or to empty it completely, so it over-fills and urine leaks out. (This is also called flaccid or hypotonic bladder).

Symptoms of neurogenic bladder include:

• Feeling a sudden, urgent need to urinate
• Frequent urination
• Having a weak urine stream or dribbling urine
• Inability or difficulty urinating
• Inability to control your urination
• Painful urination

Potential causes of neurogenic bladder include:

• Diseases that affect your nervous system, including tumors of your central nervous system
• Erectile dysfunction (ED)
• Diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, polio and syphilis
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson’s disease (PD)
• Spinal birth defects
• Spinal cord injuries or spinal surgeries
• Stroke
• Traumas and accidents
• Poisoning by heavy metals like mercury

Your Aurora urologist will talk with you about your symptoms, do a physical exam and work with you on a treatment plan to meet your needs. 

Treatment for neurogenic bladder may include:

• Biofeedback
• Botox^™
• Electrical-stimulatory therapy
• Intermittent self-catheterization
• InterStim therapy
• Medications
• Physical-psychological therapy
• Surgery