Where Is Your Bladder In Your Body

The Upper And Lower Urinary Tracts

The urinary system has two parts: the upper urinary tract and the lower urinary tract. Together, the two kidneys and two ureters make up the upper urinary tract. The lower urinary tract contains the bladder and the urethra. Men and women have the same upper urinary tract, but their lower urinary tracts are different.

What Happens To Your Uterus During Menstruation

During your menstrual cycle, the lining of your uterus goes through several changes. The lining gets thicker and rich with blood as you near ovulation . If an egg is fertilized during that cycle, it implants into the lining of your uterus, and pregnancy begins.

Your endometrial lining sheds if pregnancy doesnt happen . This process repeats every menstrual cycle unless pregnancy occurs.

What Are Some Conditions That Can Affect The Bladder

Bladder problems are fairly common.

Symptoms of bladder conditions can include:

• wetting yourself when you cough, sneeze, laugh or when active
• feeling an urgent need to urinate, or not getting to the toilet in time
• passing small amounts of urine more than 8 times a day
• unexpected changes in your bladder habits

Speak to your doctor if youre having problems with your bladder.

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Pregnancy And Kidney Pain

Pregnancy can sometimes cause kidney pain. Being pregnant puts you at a greater risk of developing a urinary tract infection or blood clots all which can cause a sensation of pain in your middle back.

Dr. Melissa Conrad Stöppler on MedicineNet, says that during pregnancy the uterus becomes enlarged and the urine flows slower. You could even experience vesicoureteral reflux where urine flows back up the urinary tract. This means that it is easier for bacteria to enter the urinary tract and spread the infection to the kidneys.14

Understanding The The Urinary System

The bodys urinary system is also called the renal system, and it is made up of several different organs.1-3 The urinary systems job is to filter out waste and extra water from the blood and remove it from the body in the form of urine. The major organs that make up the urinary system are:

• Two kidneys

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Blood And Lymph Supply

The bladder receives blood by the vesical arteries and drained into a network of vesical veins. The superior vesical artery supplies blood to the upper part of the bladder. The lower part of the bladder is supplied by the inferior vesical artery, both of which are branches of the internal iliac arteries. In females, the uterine and vaginal arteries provide additional blood supply. Venous drainage begins in a network of small vessels on the lower lateral surfaces of the bladder, which coalesce and travel with the lateral ligaments of the bladder into the internal iliac veins.

The lymph drained from the bladder begins in a series of networks throughout the mucosal, muscular and serosal layers. These then form three sets of vessels: one set near the trigone draining the bottom of the bladder one set draining the top of the bladder and another set draining the outer undersurface of the bladder. The majority of these vessels drain into the external iliac lymph nodes.

What Does The Urethra Do

The urethra is part of your urinary system. This system is made up of your kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra. Your kidneys clean your blood and produce urine, a waste product. From your two kidneys, two ureters move the urine to the bladder, where its stored until you urinate . Urine leaves your body through a hole at the end of your urethra. That hole from the inside to the outside is called the urethral meatus.

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How The Bowel Works

The digestive tract breaks down and soaks up all the food and fluids you eat and drink. It turns these food and drinks into fuel for your body.

The digestive system works by pushing food through the bowel. This usually takes between 24 to 72 hours. Muscles contract to squeeze the food through the bowel. Different parts of your bowel do different jobs. These include:

• soaking up fluids and nutrients
• processing and getting rid of waste matter.

Is Cranberry Juice Good For Overactive Bladder

Many people claim that cranberry juice relieves symptoms of urinary tract infections, but cranberries are acidic. Much like tomatoes and citrus fruits, cranberries can potentially irritate your bladder and cause urge incontinence. You might be tempted to try cranberry juice for relief, but it may worsen your symptoms.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Bladder Control Problems

Signs and symptoms of urinary incontinence can include

• leaking urine during everyday activities, such as lifting, bending, coughing, or exercising
• being unable to hold in urine after feeling a sudden, strong urge to urinate
• leaking urine without any warning or urge
• being unable to reach a toilet in time
• wetting your bed during sleep
• leaking during sexual activity

What Are Some Common Treatments For Disorders Of The Urethra

If you do have a disorder involving the urethra, the treatment will depend on the disorder. Possible therapies include:

Medications

If you have an infection, your provider will put you on anti-infective medications, such as antibiotics. If you have something like urethral cancer, your provider may suggest chemotherapeutic drugs.

Procedures

Many urethral conditions require treatments as therapies. These treatments may include:

• Dilation: Your provider will try to expand the urethra by using cystoscopy and instruments like a balloon.
• Urethrotomy: Your provider will use cystoscopy and a cutting instrument to remove the ring of scar tissue.
• Urethroplasty or urethral reconstruction: Your provider will use tissue from elsewhere in your body to build or rebuild a urethra.
• Surgery to remove tumors.

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Loss Of Bladder Control

If you cant always control your bladder function, you may have urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is any involuntary loss of urine from your bladder. It ranges from small leaks, to complete loss of control.

There are several different types of urinary incontinence, and treatment depends on the type and cause of incontinence. There are also some lifestyle suggestions that can help stop leaks.

Layers Of The Bladder

Your bladder is made up of layers.

The first layer is on the inside of your bladder and is called transitional epithelium. It is a special type of lining that stretches as the bladder fills up. It stops the urine being absorbed back into your body.

The second layer is a thin layer of connective tissue called the lamina propria.

The third layer is muscle tissue called the muscularis propria.

The fourth layer is fatty connective tissue. It separates the bladder from other body organs, such as the prostate and kidneys.

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How Long Is The Urethra

If youre someone whos been assigned female at birth, your urethra is about 1.5 inches long. If youre someone whos been assigned male at birth, your urethra is about 8 to 9 inches long .

In the anatomy typically called male, there are three parts to the urethra:

• The prostatic urethra: The part of the urethra that carries seminal fluid through the prostate gland to produce the semen that will be ejaculated.
• The membranous urethra: The short part of the urethra that transports fluids through the pelvic floor.

What Are The Types Of Uterine Abnormalities

Two ducts fuse together to form one uterine cavity during normal fetal development. For some people, these ducts dont fuse properly, resulting in an irregularly-shaped uterus. Uterine abnormalities are congenital, meaning you were born with them.

Some of the most common abnormalities are:

• Bicornuate uterus: A heart-shaped uterus.
• Arcuate uterus: Similar to a bicornuate uterus but with less of a dip or heart shape.
• : When your uterus is divided into two parts by a membrane.
• Unicornuate uterus: When you have one fallopian tube and an irregularly shaped uterus.
• Didelphys uterus: When youre born with two uteruses.

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How The Bladder Works

The bladder is part of your urinary system. It works with your kidneys to get rid of waste from your blood. The bladder stores wee until it is ready to empty it .

Your kidneys make wee, which travels to your bladder through tubes called ureters. The wee then sits in your bladder, which can hold about 500ml. You feel the urge to go to the toilet when its holding around 300ml.

To do a wee, the muscles that control the opening to the bladder relax. Your bladder then squeezes to empty out the wee.

Most people empty their bladder 4 to 8 times a day.

How Common Are These Conditions

The most common urinary issues are bladder infections and urinary tract infections . UTIs are more common in women than in men. More than 60% of women will get a UTI in their lifetime.

About half of women over 65 experience urinary incontinence, usually because of stretched muscles from pregnancy and childbirth. Kidney stones are also fairly common, occurring in about 1 in every 10 people.

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Where Is The Bladder Located In The Female Body

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Kidney Pain Vs Back Pain

Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between kidney pain and back pain. Some muscular problems in the back or other diseases can mimic kidney pain. Dr. Davis goes on to explain that pain that comes from your kidneys is usually accompanied by other symptoms. For example, you may notice changes in your urination or you may have a fever.3

Usually, back pain is distinguished from kidney pain because it may get better or worse when moving the back muscles. Unlike kidney stone pain which comes on in sharp, painful waves, back pain is more constant and connected with movement.

In general, flank or kidney pain is usually higher in the back just under the ribs and the pain sensation is deeper. Back pain that is muscular is usually in the lower back.

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Where Bladder Cancer Starts

Bladder cancer starts in the inner lining of your bladder called the transitional epithelium.

Treatment for bladder cancer depends on how far the cancer has grown into the layers of your bladder .

• Bladder Cancer: diagnosis and management of bladder cancer. National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence , 2015

• Cancer and its management J Tobias and D HochhauserWiley-Blackwell, 2015

• Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology VT De Vita, TS Lawrence and SA RosenbergLippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2015

What The Liver Does

Your liver helps the body break down and digest food by producing bile. Doctors from Stanford Childrens Health say that bile from the liver breaks down fats from your food so that it can be digested properly and your body absorbs all the necessary nutrients.

One very important function of the liver is to keep your blood clean and free of toxins. The liver also creates nutrients for the body and provides proteins for blood plasma. Good liver health also helps to keep your immune system strong.2

Taking into consideration the important work your liver does, its important to keep your liver healthy. Before we look at ways to boost the health of your liver and keep it functioning properly, lets look at the main reasons for liver pain.

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What Are Common Tests To Check The Health Of The Urethra

If your healthcare provider suspects you have a disorder of the urethra, they may order these types of tests:

• Urine tests: These tests examine your urine in a lab.
• Cystoscopy: This test lets your provider look into your urethra and bladder with a cystoscope .
• X-rays and/or ultrasound: These imaging tests allow your provider to see bones and soft tissue. Ultrasound can help your provider see your kidneys and bladder.
• Retrograde urethrography: This test combines an X-ray with a contrast agent.
• Voiding cystourethrogram: This test also uses a contrast agent to show what happens when your bladder fills up and then when you void .

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What Is The Removal Of Your Uterus Called

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of your uterus, and most likely, your cervix. Depending on the reason for the surgery, a hysterectomy may involve removing surrounding organs and tissues, such as your fallopian tubes and ovaries.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Your uterus plays an important role in menstruation, pregnancy and fertility. Your uterus looks like an upside-down pear and sits in your pelvis between your hips. If you were born with a uterus thats shaped differently, it could cause you pain. Like most organs in your body, your uterus can develop diseases and infections that require medical treatment, too. Call your healthcare provider if you experience pain in your uterus or have issues with your period or getting pregnant.

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Kidney Pain Location And Sensation

Most people tend to associate pain in the area between the ribs and hips as either digestive problems or muscular back pain. However, kidney pain isnt always felt in the same place as the kidneys location.

Dr. Charles Patrick Davis on MedicineNet explains that renal or flank pain can be felt anywhere between the lowest rib and the buttocks. The pain may also radiate to the groin or abdominal area. Depending on the underlying cause of the kidney pain, you may feel the pain in just the left or right side of your back. However, sometimes kidney pain affects both sides of the back.3

Kidney And Urinary System Parts And Their Functions

• Two kidneys. This pair of purplish-brown organs is located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. Their function is to:

• Remove waste products and drugs from the body

• Balance the body’s fluids

• Release hormones to regulate blood pressure

• Control production of red blood cells

The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus, and a small tube called a renal tubule. Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.

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Signs Of A Healthy Bowel

Being regular is a sign of a healthy bowel. Being regular means that when you go to the toilet you have no trouble doing soft, well-formed poos . You should do a poo anywhere from 13 times a day to 3 times a week. The Bristol Stool Chart is an easy way to identify what your poos should look like.

However, theres more to having a healthy bowel than just being regular. Signs of a healthy bowel also include:

• being able to hold on for a short time after you first feel the urge to do a poo
• doing a poo within about a minute of sitting down on the toilet
• doing a poo easily and without pain not having to push too hard
• emptying your bowel completely when you do a poo.

Pain Where Bladder Is Located Other Possible Causes

Some of the other reasons you may have pain where the bladder is located are a damaged urethra and a weak and neurogenic bladder.

If pain where bladder is located is an issue for you, seek help immediately or start using the associated treatments. Dont allow the problem to get any worse.

Medical Disclaimer

The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by PainBalance.org and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.

As noted, you should always consult with your doctor for medical advice to be sure of the issue you are experiencing.

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Tips To Keep Your Bladder Healthy

People rarely talk about bladder health, but everyone is affected by it. Located in the lower abdomen, the bladder is a hollow organ, much like a balloon, that stores urine. Urine contains waste and extra fluid left over after the body takes what it needs from what we eat and drink. Each day, adults pass about a quart and a half of urine through the bladder and out of the body.

As people get older, the bladder changes. The elastic bladder tissue may toughen and become less stretchy. A less flexible bladder cannot hold as much urine as before and might make you go to the bathroom more often. The bladder wall and pelvic floor muscles may weaken, making it harder to empty the bladder fully and causing urine to leak.

While you cant control everything that affects your bladder, here are 15 steps you can take to keep it as healthy as possible: