|  | Conditions Treatments | Urinary Disorders

What Are the Causes of Bladder Spasms?

Dealing with problems of the bladder and urination are never easy. In fact, such conditions tend to dramatically interfere with your life. Bladder spasms are one such condition. However, before you seek treatment for your bladder spasms, it's a good idea to have an understanding of what causes them, so the most appropriate cure becomes clear.

  1. Definition

    • To understand bladder spasms, you first have to understand how the bladder works normally. In a healthy bladder, the muscle will contract slowly and gently when you need to urinate. This helps you know that you need to find a restroom. However, bladder spasms cause intense muscle contractions, making it feel as though you need to go to the bathroom immediately. There's no warning period. Bladder spasms can even force urine from your body causing urge incontinence.

    Interstitial Cystitis

    • One potential cause of bladder spasms is a condition called interstitial cystitis. This condition makes your bladder hurt and makes urination very painful for no obvious reason. It can be accompanied by feelings of urgency, the cause of which are bladder spasms.

    Urinary Traction Infection

    • The most common cause of bladder spasms is the urinary tract infection. Also known as a UTI, sufferers will experience painful or burning urination, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, urinary frequency and urgency. Severe cases may also result in fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and flank pain.

    Catheters

    • Bladder spasms and urge incontinence may also be caused by regular and repeated catheter use. Since a catheter is a small tube that is inserted into the urethra to help drain urine from the body, it is common that it can cause irritation in the bladder. This irritation may result in bladder spasms.

    Surgery

    • Certain surgeries can cause bladder spasms as well. For instance, any procedure that affects the abdominal area can weaken the pelvic floor or bladder muscles or damage surrounding nerves. Examples include a hysterectomy, Caesarean section, bladder surgery and a prostatectomy.

    Nervous System Disorders

    • Nervous system conditions can cause bladder spasms such as cerebral palsy, herpes, Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis or an injury to the spinal cord.

    Medications

    • Some medications act as bladder irritants, which may result in bladder spasms. These medications include Bethanechol and a drug called Valrubcin, which is used for chemotherapy. Diuretics are also key bladder spasm culprits because they help force water from the body.

Urinary Disorders - Related Articles