How to Understand Bladder Disease

There are many different types of diseases that can affect the bladder and prohibit proper functioning. The bladder is located in your lower abdomen, and its primary function in the body is to store urine. However, the bladder is part of a complex system known as the urinary system, and a bladder disease can affect its overall functioning. To understand more about bladder disease, you'll need to take steps to educate yourself about the various components.

Instructions

• 1

  Learn about the parts of the urinary system and how the different parts work together. Different types of bladder diseases affect different areas of the urinary system, and you'll be better prepared to deal with symptoms if you have knowledge of how the system works. The parts of the urinary system include the kidneys, ureter, bladder, sphincter, and urethra. To learn about how these parts work together, ask your urologist for more information or visit a reputable source online, such as the National Institutes of Health website, kidney.niddk.nih.gov.

• 2

  Determine if you are at risk for any bladder diseases. Asking your doctor or doing a simple online search for risk factors can help you determine if you should be concerned. Older people, such as senior citizens, people who suffer from a chronic illness, or people who have sustained a serious injury are all at risk for developing a bladder disease. A person who is part of the aging population may lose some muscle control, be unable to fully empty his bladder, or lose some ability to filter wastes out of the bloodstream, all of which can cause bladder diseases. Those who suffer from an illness or injury may also lose the ability to filter wastes out of the bloodstream, or the urine pathway may become blocked. Finding out if you're at risk will help you determine if you should seek medical attention.

• 3

  Study the various bladder diseases and learn the symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options. You should ask your urologist for information regarding bladder diseases. If adequate information isn't available in her office, she'll be able to direct you to a reputable source, such as the American Urological Association Foundation or the National Association for Continence, for more information. As an example of the type of information you should find, take urinary incontinence. Women are more at risk than men, particularly older women, and symptoms include a loss of bladder control. Treatment options can be as simple as exercises and medications, or as complex as surgery.

• 4

  Ask your urologist or primary care physician about the various tests that are administered to help detect bladder diseases. Discuss your risk factors and the different types of medical tests. Types of tests include examining the inside of your bladder using a cystoscope, taking an x-ray of your urinary system, and performing a urinalysis test, which requires studying a sample of urine and identifying any harmful substances. A urodynamic test, which measures how the bladder contracts and relaxes, may be recommended for patients with nerve or muscle problems.

• 5

  Find out which type of doctor treats the various bladder diseases. A primary care physician can treat mild bladder diseases, such as a urinary tract infection, or UTI. For more complex problems, you'll need to see a urologist. Urologists generally specialize in the urinary system for men and women, as well as the male reproductive system. If a bladder disease affects the female reproductive system, you should see a urogynecologist, or a doctor who specializes in the female urinary and reproductive systems. If the bladder disease affects the kidneys, you should see a doctor who specializes in kidney diseases, known as a nephrologist.