Female Bladder Problems

Urinary tract is responsible for filtration of the liquid wastes from the body. Consequently, urinary system organs may be affected with several problems, ranging from tissue weakness to infections in the bladder. Women are always at a higher risk of developing bladder symptoms than men. This is because of the shorter urinary tract, hormonal fluctuations at the time of menstruation (menopause in older women), pregnancy symptoms and childbirth.

In spite of the discomfort and painful symptoms of bladder problems, most women are reluctant to consult and seek medical advice. As per medical data, more than 50 percent women get urinary tract infection in their lifetime, also some of them are susceptible to repeated infections. Fortunately, female bladder infection treatment shows prompt results with the administration of antibiotics in correct doses. Let's try to understand more on female bladder problems.

Bladder Problems in Female

With the onset of aging process, the risk of female bladder problems increases to a certain extent. As we age, the tissues and muscles associated with the functioning of bladder are weakened, thus resulting in varied symptoms. Some of the reported urinary bladder disorders in women are discussed below:

Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is an unpleasing condition, characterized by lack of bladder control and involuntary leakage of urine. It is caused due to weak bladder, overactive muscles, urethra blockage and medicine side effects. In the United States, the occurrence of urinary incontinence between females which are in the age group 15 - 64 years is 10 to 30 %. Based on the symptoms manifested, there are several types of incontinence. To mention a few; stress incontinence causes urine leakage while performing physical movements (exercising, coughing, sneezing, etc.), urge incontinence results in frequent urges to pass urine and overflow incontinence refers to uncontrolled loss of urine when the bladder is full.

Overactive Bladder
In an overactive bladder problem, the urinary bladder contracts involuntarily on its own, without the stimulating effect of a full bladder and the result is urgency to urinate, even if the bladder is not full. Other symptoms of overactive bladder or hyperactive bladder are urine leakage, frequent urination (more than seven times per day) and sexual problems.

Dysuria
Another common female bladder problem is dysuria, which cause burning sensation and painful feeling during the act of urination. It is a symptom of urinary bladder problem rather than a disease. Women having diagnosed with urinary tract infection, vaginal yeast infection and interstitial cystitis often manifest dysuria along with other medical conditions.

Bladder Infection
This refers to UTI by bacteria, which affects all age groups. However, like other bladder problems, it is most common among elderly women who are in their postmenopausal years. Female bladder infection symptoms include frequent urination, pelvic pain, dysuria and at times, bloody urine. Know more on symptoms of bladder infection in women.

Other Bladder Problems
Other rarely observed female bladder problems are interstitial cystitis and prolapse. The former causes bladder pain, urgency to pass urine and incontinence. A woman with bladder prolapse feels heaviness and increased pressure over the pelvis portion. Prolapse is caused due to weakness of the pelvic muscles and failing to support the urinary bladder properly.

In case of any female bladder problems, act promptly and get doctor's help as soon as possible to avoid further complications. For UTI cases, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. With timely diagnosis and correct therapeutic intervention, maximum cases of bladder problems are cured effectively.