There are various signs that you may have neurogenic bladder. Symptoms include:
- An urgent need to urinate or urinating often
- Difficulty fully emptying your bladder
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Kidney or bladder stones
- Leaking urine
- Pelvic pain
Causes of Neurogenic Bladder
Causes of neurogenic bladder include:
- Diabetes: The disease can damage nerves throughout the body.
- Medications and treatments: Chemotherapy can lead to neurogenic bladder.
- Nervous system disorders: Multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors and other nervous system disorders can trigger neurogenic bladder.
- Spinal cord injuries: Can disrupt signals between the brain and bladder.
- Congenital disorders: Spina bifida and other congenital disorders (birth defects) can cause neurogenic bladder.
Diagnosing Neurogenic Bladder
If you have symptoms of neurogenic bladder, the Emory Urology services team is ready to help. We will discuss your medical history and perform a physical exam.
We may ask you to provide a urine sample. Also, we may check your bladder using ultrasound and evaluate your spinal cord or nervous system using MRI. An additional test called urodynamics can help measure how strong your bladder squeezes.
You may need to keep a bladder diary, where you record how often you urinate and leak.
If you have neurogenic bladder, there are effective treatments.
