The muscles and nerves of the urinary system work together to hold and release urine at the right time. Nerves carry messages between the bladder and the spinal cord and brain. The messages tell the bladder muscles to either tighten or release. With neurogenic bladder, a person does not have bladder control because of brain, spinal cord, or nerve problems.

Causes of neurogenic bladder include:

• Diabetes.
• Infections.
• Accidents that cause injury to the brain or spinal cord.
• Genetic nerve problems.
• Heavy metal poisoning.
• Birth defects that affect the spinal cord.
• Brain or spinal cord tumors.
• Stroke.
• Herniated disks.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Parkinson disease.

The most common symptoms of neurogenic bladder include:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Kidney stones.
• Being unable to control urine (urinary incontinence).
• Small amount of urine when urinating.
• Urinary frequency and urgency.
• Dribbling urine.
• Loss of feeling that the bladder is full.
• Being unable to urinate.

The symptoms of neurogenic bladder may look like other conditions. Always talk with a doctor for a diagnosis.

If your doctor thinks you may have neurogenic bladder, they will want to check your brain, spinal cord, and bladder. They will review your health history and do a physical exam. Other tests may include:

• MRIs or CT scans of the brain and spine.
• Imaging tests of the bladder and ureters.
• Ultrasound. This imaging test uses sound waves to create images of the organs on a computer screen.
• Cystoscopy. Your doctor puts a thin, flexible tube and viewing device in through the urethra to examine the urinary tract. It checks for structure changes or blockages, such as tumors or stones.
• Tests that are done by filling the bladder, such as urodynamics. These tests show how much the bladder can hold. They also check to see if it fully empties.

Treatment for neurogenic bladder depends on the cause. It's aimed at preventing kidney damage and may include:

• Medicines.
• Emptying the bladder with a catheter at regular times.
• Preventive antibiotics to reduce infection.
• A surgical procedure that places an artificial cuff around the neck of the bladder that can be inflated to hold urine and deflated to release it.
• Surgical procedures that may enlarge the bladder size or remove a portion of the weak sphincter muscle or create an opening in the belly (stoma) for the urine to drain.
• Botulinum toxin shots (injections) into the bladder muscle. This medicine keeps the bladder from contracting too often.
• Placing an electrical device to stimulate or slow down bladder activity.

Problems that can happen with neurogenic bladder include:

• Urine leakage.This often happens when the muscles holding urine in don't get the right message.
• Urine retention.This happens if the muscles holding urine in don't get the message that it's time to pass urine.
• Damage to the tiny blood vessels in the kidney. This may happen if the bladder becomes too full and urine backs up into the kidneys. This causes extra pressure. It may lead to blood in the urine and kidney failure.
• Infection of the bladder, ureters, or kidneys. This often results from urine that is held too long before it's passed out of the body.

• With neurogenic bladder, the nerves that carry messages back and forth between the bladder and the spinal cord and brain don't work the way they should.
• Common symptoms include dribbling urine, loss of feeling that the bladder is full, and being unable to control urine (urinary incontinence).
• Damage or changes in the nervous system and infection are some of the causes of neurogenic bladder.
• Treatment is aimed at preventing kidney damage. It may include medicine, urinary catheters, antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection, and in severe cases, surgery.
• Some problems include urine leakage, inability to pass urine, kidney damage, and kidney or urinary tract infections.

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your doctor:

• Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your doctor tells you.
• At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new directions your doctor gives you.
• Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
• Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
• Know how you can contact your doctor if you have questions, especially after office hours and on weekends and holidays.