Bladder Weakness Facts & Advice

How The Bladder Works

As with any problem it is important to understand the basics and on this page we explain how the bladder works and how it can affect the different types of incontinence.

The bladder is like a flexible rubber sac and is supported in it's position by the pelvic floor muscles which also support the vagina and rectum.

The kidneys which are situated above the bladder produce urine which then passes to the bladder through the ureters. Urine is storedin the bladder until it is released. During storage the urine is retained in the bladder by a ring of muscles at the bottom of the bladder, called the urethral sphincter, which squeezes shut.

The emptying of the bladder is quite a complex process that involves both voluntary and involuntary activity. The inner spchinter is made up of involuntary muscle which the brain operates without concious thought.It maintains a constant steady pressure. The outer scpchinter ismade up of muscle which is controlled voluntarily and it is this , along with the pelvic floor, that can be consciously squeezed when trying to prevent leakage.

Bladder Control : How it Develops

Up to the age of about 2 a child's bladder is not used for storing urine. As soon as the bladder fills it empties through reflex control, normally about once every hour.

As the brain develops it stops the reflex emptying of the bladder and it develops into a storage organ.

Bladder Function : What is Normal

How often you pass urine is dependant on how much urine is produced as well as how much urine the bladder will hold. If you drink 1.5 litres a day and your bladder normall holds 400 ml then you will empty your bladder aproximately four times a day.
Normal frequency of voiding is up to seven times per day or not more than once every two hours.

Bladder Problems :How Can They Occur

One of the most common causes of bladder problems is damage or weakening through childbirth. During childbirth the bladder neck and urethral schincters can be damaged.

Anything that interferes with the parts of the brain involved in modifying bladder activity can affect bladder function, for example a stroke or a spinal injury may interrupt the connection between the higher parts of the brain and the bottom of the spinal cord, resulting in the reflex voiding pattern of a baby.