April 2017

Desmopressin acetate is a hormone which has many effects on the body. It reduces urine production and is used to treat nocturnal enuresis. Whilst taking Desmopressin acetate you may be advised to restrict your fluid intake, drink only…

A loop diuretic is a medicine taken to treat nocturia and is usually taken in the morning. They work by making the kidneys pass out more urine, thus reducing your visits to the toilet during the night. Diuretic medicine increases the…

What is Duloxetine? The medication for the treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is called duloxetine. This medication is thought to increases the activity of the nerve that stimulates the urethral sphincter, improving its…

Fesoterodine fumarate is a medicine used to help treat symptoms of an overactive bladder such as urinary incontinence, urgency or frequency. It works by reducing spasms of the bladder muscle which can help to reduce the episodes of urinary…

There are several medications available which can help you to control your bladder and reduce wetting, these are called antimuscarinic or anticholinergic drugs. These medicines can help improve the symptoms of overactive bladder by relaxing…

Propiverine hydrochloride is a medicine used to treat people who have urinary problems caused by an overactive bladder or by spinal cord injuries.  It works by preventing spasms of the bladder muscle, which can help to reduce the episodes…

Solifenacin succinate is a medicine used to help treat symptoms of an overactive bladder such as incontinence, urgency or frequency.  It works by preventing spasms of the bladder muscle, which can help to reduce the episodes of urinary…

Tamsulosin hydrochloride is a medicine which is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Tamsulosin hydrochloride relaxes the muscles surrounding the prostate gland in men and can help men who have an enlarged prostate to pass urine…

Tolterodine is a medicine used to treat people who have urinary problems such as urinary incontinence or frequency which are caused by an overactive bladder. It works by preventing spasms of the bladder muscle which can help to reduce the…

Trospium chloride is a medicine used to help to treat symptoms of an overactive bladder such as urinary incontinence, urgency or frequency. It works by preventing spasms of the bladder muscle which can help to reduce the episodes of urinary…

There are several medications available which can help you to control your bladder and reduce wetting, these are called antimuscarinic or anticholinergic drugs. These medicines can help improve the symptoms of overactive bladder by relaxing…

An upset digestive system can make you feel bloated and sluggish, so maintaining a healthy bowel is really important for your quality of life. The digestive system can be upset easily; an unhealthy diet, antibiotics, stress and travel are…

Bowel problems are not limited to adults and are definitely not just part of getting older – children can experience them too. Some children will be born with bowel conditions while others can develop them as they start to grow. In this…

There are an estimated 6.5 million people in the UK with some form of bowel control problem, and this is thought to be a conservative estimate, as a result of under-reporting due to the embarrassing nature of these problems. Being…

What Is The Postmenopause? This is the stage of every woman's life that follows the menopause, or her last menstrual period. A woman is definitely postmenopausal when she has not had a period for at least a year. Most women in the UK go…

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder and is a common form of urinary tract infection (UTI). Cystitis predominately affects women, but occasionally it can affect men and children. What Causes Bacterial Cystitis? In most cases, cystitis…

What is Fowler's Syndrome? First described in 1985, Fowler's Syndrome is a cause of urinary retention (inability to pass water normally) in young women. Urinary retention in young women is not common but can be quite debilitating. The…

What Is a Prolapse? Pelvic Organ Prolapse a condition in which one or more of the pelvic organs comes down or bulges into or out of the vagina, often with the sensation of 'something coming down below'. The pelvic organs consist of the…

A vaginal fistula is a tract or hole that has opened up from the vaginal wall and connects with another organ in the body. The most common types of vaginal fistula are: Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) - a tract that connects the vagina and…

Traditional acupuncture is a healthcare method based on ancient principles which go back nearly two thousand years. It is believed that the main basis for treatment is that illness and pain occur when the body's qi, or vital energy, cannot…

You should try and avoid being constipated as this can bring on other symptoms and problems. For example, when the bowel does not empty properly it will swell up and push down onto the bladder and could cause urinary problems. You can…

What is Biofeedback? Biofeedback is a technique which is designed to help strengthen your urethral and anal sphincter muscles and pelvic floor muscles and help you to gain control over your bladder. Biofeedback can help you learn which…

Bladder retraining is a simple and effective method used to try and overcome bladder problems including, urgency, frequency and incontinence.

Intermittent self-catheterisation (ISC) is used to treat bladders that do not empty fully. You will be taught how to insert a urinary catheter into your bladder by a health professional – this can be done in a hospital, clinic or at…

There are some general lifestyle changes that you could make which may help to alleviate your symptoms. As well as following a healthy diet, you should try to take some form of regular exercise.  If you have stress incontinence it may be…

In some cases, people can be helped with neuromuscular stimulation of the pelvic floor. Both men and women can try this treatment. A probe is placed in the vagina (for women) or back passage (for men). The probe carries an electrical…

PTNS - Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation is indicated in Overactive Bladder (OAB) problems where symptoms of urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urge incontinence have been difficult to resolve by other treatments. Percutaneous…

Vaginal dryness, soreness, itching and painful sex can sometimes be symptoms of the menopause. Without the production of oestrogen by the ovaries, the skin and support tissues of the vulva ("lips") and vagina become thin and less…

Watchful waiting refers to seeing whether symptoms progress, stay the same or clear on their own before undergoing medical or surgical treatment. Watchful waiting is a phrase that is used in reference to urology conditions including…

Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat many different conditions and symptoms. We have listed here some of the bladder problems for which antibiotics may be prescribed by your GP or health professional. Acute prostatitis will be…

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as Diclofenac sodium, can help to reduce inflammation and to reduce pain.  Diclofenac sodium works by blocking the production of some of the body chemicals that cause inflammation, pain, stiffness,…

Your treatment for urgency or urge incontinence will depend on the severity of your symptoms. Your GP or Healthcare Practitioner may first suggest some conservative methods which can help to control some of your symptoms. If these methods…

What is Urinary Retention? The bladder is a balloon-shaped hollow muscle.  It is designed to stretch as it fills up and contract as it empties.  The bladder muscle can become so weak that it is unable to contract strongly enough to…

Day time wetting affects about 1 in 75 children over the age of 5 and is more common in girls. Day time wetting can be embarrassing for your child and can be difficult to deal with, especially at school. It can, in some cases, lead to…

Frequency refers to the number of times you go to the toilet to pass urine in a day. If you need to go to the toilet very often, more than seven times a day on drinking approximately 2 litres of fluid, you may have a frequency problem.…

Mixed Urinary Incontinence is the involuntary leakage associated with Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urge Urinary Incontinence, and can also include Nocturia and Dribbling.  Some people have a mixture of all these different symptoms which…

What Is Nocturnal Enuresis? Nocturnal Enuresis means wetting the bed. Many people wet the bed at night, although few people talk about it. In fact, one person in every 100 may be affected throughout adult life. Most people think that…

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, this can be caused by either a blockage in the brain or a bleed in or around the brain. Many strokes happen because the arteries become hardened over time, your lifestyle,…

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, which is caused by a physical disease of the brain. It is a progressive illness, which causes loss of memory, judgment and language. Between 60 - 70% of those with Alzheimer’s will go…

Your treatment for Prostate cancer will depend on your type of tumour, how advanced the cancer is and your health in general. Some types are slow growing and don’t interfere with any bladder function. These types of tumours may not require…

Spina Bifida occurs when the spinal cord and vertebrae fail to develop properly in the womb. This ‘fault’ leaves a gap or a split in the spine. Spina Bifida affects the central nervous system.

Spinal cord injury nearly always affects control over the bladder and bowel. This is because the nerves controlling these internal organ are attached to the base of the spinal cord and then pass down through the cauda equina, the 'horse's…

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition, so affects the nerves. A coating around the nerve fibres called myelin becomes damaged and can produce a wide range of symptoms, which vary greatly from person to person. MS is a complex…

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder. There is no known cure for it at present and it is not yet understood why people get this condition. Parkinson’s is caused by the loss of nerve cells, which contain a chemical called…

Cancer occurs when body cells alter, multiply and interfere with 'normal' cells. Bladder cancer is unfortunately not uncommon. One of the common symptoms of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. The bleeding is not usually painful and…

Cauda Equina is a very serious condition causing nerve root damage. This is a rare disorder where pressure is exerted on a collection of nerves located at the bottom of the spinal cord known as the ‘cauda equina’. The cauda equina set of…

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a condition in which the prostate is enlarged, but not cancerous. The enlargement of the prostate can restrict the flow of urine from the bladder, causing uncomfortable and inconvenient urinary…

Prostatitis is the general term for inflammation of the prostate. The inflammation can be acute and is normally caused by an infection. There are three main types of prostatitis; acute prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and chronic…

Most women accept that they might get a vaginal tear during childbirth, but having a bladder or bowel problem after giving birth to their baby is rarely in the minds of expectant mothers. This page aims to cover some possible problems that…

The Bladder and Bowel Community is the UK wide service for people with bladder and bowel control conditions.  We provide information and support services, including a managed online support group, for anyone affected by these conditions as…