Distended Bladder

Distended bladder is a condition where the urinary bladder remains constantly full for most of the time. It is the failure of the bladder to empty itself completely or any at all despite the urge to urinate is very strong. As the urine in the bladder is unable to pass out, it results in an excessive accumulation of urine within thereby causing bladder distension.

The problem may even be accompanied by severe pain, swelling of the lower abdomen and even over sweating. Although distended bladder can be caused by a wide variety of health issues ranging from spinal cord injury and stroke to infection and side effect of certain drugs, the most common cause is prostate enlargement in males.

As the prostate grows in size, it puts a lot of pressure onto the urethra – the narrow tube which drains the urine in the bladder out of body. This in turn creating a partial or complete blockage of the urethra making urination very difficult. It is not uncommon to see sufferers straining hard just to get the stream started.

In fact, the condition can also cause bladder leakage especially with an overly full bladder where the internal pressure overwhelms the blockage pressure. It generally results in a tiny urinary leakage from the bladder some at a time.

Distended bladder

With today’s medical advancements, distended bladder caused by bladder obstruction can be easily remedied with a catheter. A catheter is basically a long but tiny tube that is inserted through the urethra opening straight into the bladder. Once inserted, the urine can then be drained out from the bladder and into a bag that connects at the other end of the catheter.

Generally, a complete drainage of the bladder can be achieved with this device. In fact, you can even perform this procedure right at the comfort of your own home. Another effective and convenient distended bladder treatment that has been developed especially for spinal cord injury or nerve damage is a small device which can be implanted into the body to simulate bladder control.

The control of the bladder can be achieved by provoking the nerves connecting to the bladder and hence allowing the sufferer to control urination. Distended bladder if left untreated, can lead to more bladder problems such as damage or rupture of the bladder wall and in some severe cases may even lead to kidney failure. Therefore, getting medical help is vitally important if you are suffering from a condition such as this.