The urinary bladder is a hollow organ in the human pelvis in which urine is temporarily stored. It is part of the urinary tract and enables urine to be released voluntarily. Various diseases can impair the function of the bladder.
Here you will find further information as well as selected bladder specialists and centers.
The urinary bladder (often simply called the bladder ) is located in the lower part of the abdominal cavity. It lies on the pelvic floor and is well protected by the pelvis. In women it sits directly in front of the uterus, in men it is adjacent to the rectum (rectum).
At the back, the bladder is connected to the kidneys via the two ureters. The kidneys constantly release urine to fill the bladder. In the lower area, the bladder ends with the urethra, through which it can be emptied.
The bladder is very flexible and enlarges depending on how full it is. How much urine the bladder can hold varies. Men's bladders tend to be larger, but the capacity also depends on body size and other factors.
There are stretch receptors in the bladder wall that report the filling level to the brain. When the bladder is about half full, you feel the urge to empty it. This becomes stronger and stronger as the bladder continues to fill.
Thanks to the sphincter muscles, you can consciously decide to a certain extent when you want to empty your bladder. This is made up of different muscle strands. A "smooth" muscle cord runs in a ring around the neck of the bladder. A second muscle cord of "striated" muscles is located in the lower third of the bladder in women.
This second muscle layer can be consciously loosened, allowing the bladder to be emptied.
The muscles of the bladder are supported by the pelvic floor muscles. They hold the urethra and the bladder neck in position.
Without the bladder and its sphincter muscles, we would constantly leak urine instead of releasing it in a targeted manner.
The anatomy of the bladder in men © bilderzwerg #75130881 | AdobeStock
Bladder inflammation (cystitis) is an infection of the bladder caused by germs. The pathogens enter the bladder via the urethra.
Typical symptoms are a frequent urge to urinate and burning or pain when urinating. The urine may be cloudy or contain blood.
Untreated cystitis can lead to inflammation of the kidneys or renal pelvis.
Immediate treatment is particularly important for pregnant women. This can prevent complications such as premature labor.
Mild cystitis can often be treated with home remedies and drinking more fluids. In many cases, however, antibiotics are required.
As the urethra is significantly shorter in women than in men, bladder infections are more common in women.
Urinary incontinence or bladder weakness is the involuntary loss of urine
even without any trigger. Just like cystitis, bladder weakness occurs more frequently in women than in men.
The causes can be varied. Some possible causes include
As in most other organs, cancer can also develop on or in the bladder. Men are significantly more frequently affected than women.
Risk factors are
Most cases are so-called "cauliflower tumors" or papillomas. They tend to grow superficially on the cell layer on the inside of the bladder. This form can often be treated well during a cystoscopy. However, there are also tumors that affect deeper layers.
Possible symptoms of bladder cancer are
Such symptoms should therefore always be clarified by a doctor.
In addition to the bladder diseases mentioned above, there are others, for example
Bladder stones or bladder gravel occur rather rarely in humans. However, they can cause severe abdominal pain and damage the bladder wall or the urethra. If they are too large to pass on their own, they are usually crushed during a cystoscopy and then removed.
In the case of bladder prolapse, the bladder moves backwards and downwards. This condition occurs almost exclusively in women due to the position of the bladder. It can be a cause of incontinence.
Micturition disorders are general problems with urination. These include, for example
An increased or decreased amount of urine can also occur. The causes and treatment options for micturition disorders are varied.
In the event of a bladder rupture, the mucous membrane of the bladder tears and urine can leak into the abdominal cavity. A rupture causes severe pain and can lead to peritonitis, which in the worst case can be life-threatening.
