What Causes Bladder Dysfunction While Having Multiple Sclerosis?
You will need to see a urologist
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
Approximately 50 percent of patients with MS report bowel dysfunction and up to 75 percent report bladder dysfunction. The extent of sphincter and sexual dysfunction often parallels the degree of motor impairment in the lower extremities. The most frequent urinary complaint is urgency, which is usually the result of uninhibited muscle contraction in the bladder. Urinary incontinence becomes more common as the disease progresses.
Ultimately, you will need to see a urologist to determine the cause of urinary incontinence. The different forms are:
-Overactive bladder leading to failure of the bladder to store urine. The resulting symptoms include urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence. It is the most common urologic abnormality affecting patients with MS
-functional bladder outlet obstruction and failure to empty from discoordination of the bladder muscle and the urtheral muscle. Associated symptoms include hesitancy, interrupted stream, and incomplete voiding.
-inefficient bladder contractility, leading to failure of the bladder to empty. Related symptoms include incomplete emptying, residual urine, and frequency.
-abnormal sensation and bladder hypoactivity leading to failure to empty (ie, a dilated bladder that empties by overflow). Symptoms include urinary retention, interrupted micturition, and incomplete bladder emptying.
While these can exist in isolation, many patients with MS have several concurrent types of bladder dysfunction. Unfortunately, you will need to see a urologist for appropriate diagnosis and work up. At that time, you will benefit from medications depending on the type.