Urethra, Prostate & Bladder Disorders

Urinary disorders can be painful, cause discomfort and severely affect one's quality of life. Many urinary disorders are marked by the inability to hold urine, which can make one's life extremely difficult.

Urethra Disorders

• The urethra is the membranous canal where urine travels from the bladder for excretion. For males, the urethra is also where semen passes through. The common urethra disorder that females encounter is urethritis, or pain when urinating. For males, hypospadias and epispadias are an abnormal development in the urethra. Males also suffer from urethritis, but it is not as common as in women.

Urethra Disorders Diagnosis

• Urethra disorders are usually diagnosed by conducting a cytoscopy, wherein under local anesthesia a doctor uses a cytoscope find out what is wrong with the patient's bladder and urethra. If there are stones found during the examination, the doctor may decide to remove them or prescribe medication.

  For treatment of a urethra disorder, the doctor will be able to assess the patient's condition and recommend the necessary treatment. For instance, urethritis treatment depends on the type of organism or bacteria present in the body.

Prostate Disorders

• The prostate is a walnut-size gland that is responsible for the production of semen, along with seminal vesicles. The prostate is found right below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. Prostate disorders are often related to age.

  Prostate disorders often involve the inflammation of the prostate gland, cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Also the enlargement of the prostate narrows the urethra, making urination difficult.

Prostate Diagnosis and Treatment

• Common symptoms include difficulty urinating and pain or a burning sensation. Many have pain in the pelvic area, urinary tract infections, dribbling or incontinence, frequent urination or the inability to urinate. A urologist should be able to determine what disorder the patient has and if surgery and/or medication are necessary.

Bladder Disorders

• There are actually several bladder disorders. Stress incontinence is the leaking of urine during activities such as laughing, coughing, copulation (having sex), and even by bending over. Urinary incontinence or lack of bladder control not only affects young children, but also the elderly. This bladder disorder is actually estimated to affect more than 25 million Americans annually. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is another bladder disorder where bacteria enter and grow inside the urinary tract. There are also occurrences of bladder cancer, where a tumor grows inside the bladder and affects the cells that line the organ.

Bladder Treatment

• There are noninvasive treatments for incontinence like pelvic exercises, estrogen therapy and even surgery for the worst cases. There are also several medical options a patient can take depending on their individual situation. It is best to seek the help of a urologist to identify what is causing the problem and see what type of treatment options are available.