Urinary Bladder Disease

Urinary bladder diseases are a group of medical conditions that effect the bladder, an organ that stores urine. Bladder diseases can be short-term, chronic or fatal and effect people of all ages.

Urinary Tract Infection

• A urinary tract infection, often called a UTI, is one of the most common bladder conditions. A UTI is caused when foreign bacteria such as E. coli enters the urinary system. Urinary tract infections usually can be cured within a few days with antibiotics. If you experience typical urinary tract infection symptoms such as burning during urination, make a doctor's appointment right away. An untreated UTI can spread to the kidneys, causing more serious problems.

Interstitial Cystitis

• Interstitial cystitis or IC is a painful and chronic condition which causes inflammation in the bladder. This condition gives people the urge to urinate frequently and has other side effects such as crippling pelvic pain and bladder pressure. Although there is no cure for interstitial cystitis, many patients manage their conditions using the IC diet, which eliminates bladder-irritating foods and drinks from their diets. There are also medications such as Elmiron which help to line the bladder and keep irritants away.

Bladder Cancer

• The cause of bladder cancer is unknown. As with any cancer, it can be fatal for some patients, depending on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed. Bladder cancer occurs when tumors form in the bladder. If someone is experiencing unexplained blood in their urine, it's important to seek medical attention as this is a major symptom of bladder cancer. Once bladder cancer is diagnosed, radiation therapy or chemotherapy are two treatment options used to kill the cancer cells.

Overactive Bladder

• According to Pfizer, one in six adults experiences symptoms of an overactive bladder. People with overactive bladders urinate frequently and feel sudden urges to go to the bathroom that are uncontrollable. In come cases, people with overactive bladders may not even be able to make it to the bathroom, causing embarrassing accidents. Medications, such as Toviaz, can help to reduce urinary frequency and urges.

Urinary Incontinence

• Urinary incontinence occurs when a person loses control of his bladder. Patients with urinary incontinence may not always make it to the bathroom in time and also experience problems such as releasing urine when they sneeze or having urine leak out of them for no apparent reason. Incontinence is common among seniors or women who have given birth to multiple children. However, almost anyone can experience incontinence as it can stem from a variety of factors as common as drinking too much caffeine or as serious as having bladder cancer. Anyone who experiences incontinence on a regular basis and has it interfere with their daily life should seek medical attention.