Read the statements below and tell us if they sound very familiar to you:
“When I have to go to the bathroom, I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM! There is no waiting, otherwise I will end up wetting myself.” - Suresh Chandra, a resident of Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
“My bladder always feels full even after I go to the toilet, it is full now and it will be even after hours. I stopped having my haldi-doodh at night, but I still somehow end up wetting myself.” - Rohit Srivastava, Nashik, Maharashtra.
“I can’t empty my bladder even when I want to, I have to force myself every time and it gets very tiring.” - Nishant Pandey, Delhi.
These are the most common complaints that our readers have written to us with, who as it turns out upon diagnosis are suffering from voiding dysfunction.
The reason for their complaints might be the same but they have different causes. These causes can be categorized into three different types of voiding dysfunction based on the symptoms they mentioned.
In this blog, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about voiding dysfunction in one place. Keep reading!
What is Voiding Dysfunction?
In simple terms, voiding dysfunction is a condition where you can’t completely empty your bladder due to various reasons. Typically, people with voiding dysfunction may leak urine, have difficulty starting urination, or feel strong and sudden urges to use the bathroom throughout the day.
Types of Voiding Dysfunction and their Symptoms
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Overactive bladder: “I have to go to the bathroom!”
In people with overactive bladder, the bladder might be too active, or the pelvic muscles may not be strong enough to hold back the urine until you’re ready to relieve yourself. These people use the bathroom 8 or more times a day, or nearly every hour when they are up and about.
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Dysfunctional Voiding: “My bladder always feels full even after I go to the toilet.”
The simple act of holding and releasing urine is a very complex process. In people with dysfunctional voiding, the bladder and the other muscles controlling the flow of urine don’t relax completely due to various reasons, and the bladder never fully empties. This causes a range of symptoms including night-time wetting, a feeling that the bladder is always full, straining in an effort to fully empty the bladder, and urgency to reach the bathroom in time.
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Underactive bladder: “I have to force myself every time.”
People with underactive bladder pee less than 3 times a day, they might even go without peeing for 12 hours or more. People with an underactive bladder have to strain to urinate because the bladder muscle itself is weak and has trouble contracting completely and letting the urine out. This results in prolonged or slow bladder emptying.
Causes of Voiding Dysfunction
There are many potential voiding dysfunction causes. Some of these include:
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Enlarged prostate (BPH) in men
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Constipation
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
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Bladder stones
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Cancerous and non-cancerous bladder tumors
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Habit of holding urine inside the bladder for too long even after the urge strikes
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Weakened pelvic floor and pelvic floor disorders
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Neurogenic problems (problem with nerves connecting the brain and the bladder)
Voiding Dysfunction Diagnosis
As a first step, your doctor will perform a physical test and ask detailed questions about your medical history. Men may have to undergo an exam to check for enlarged prostate; and women may have a pelvic exam.
Your doctor might also ask you to have one or more of these tests:
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Urinalysis: A test to check for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and symptoms of other problems.
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Kidney and bladder ultrasound: A test to evaluate how much urine is left in the bladder after it is emptied.
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Blood test: To check for elevated levels of PSA (prostate- specific antigen, a protein made by the prostate gland) can indicate prostate problems in men.
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Cystoscopy: A hollow tube with lens is inserted through your urethra and into the bladder, allowing your doctor to view the inside of the bladder and check for problems.
Voiding Dysfunction Treatment
Treatments for voiding dysfunction vary according to the underlying causes and symptoms. Treatments include:
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Bladder training
If your symptoms are mild to moderate, you can train your bladder muscles to hold urine for longer durations and urinate more easily.
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Pelvic floor therapy
Your pelvic floor supports your urinary and reproductive organs. In pelvic floor therapy, a specialized physical therapist will teach you various techniques and exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
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Medications
There are several medications that can help with voiding dysfunction and its various symptoms. Medication will be your doctor’s first medical intervention if things are a little serious.
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Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS)
PTNS is a non-surgical procedure that can be done in your doctor’s office. A very thin needle will be placed near the tibial nerve in the ankle to simulate it with light electrical signals. This also results in the simulation of the nerves around the bladder leading to the brain.
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Sacral nerve stimulation
A small neurotransmitter is implanted under the skin just above your buttocks to send electrical signals to the nerves that control the bladder muscles.
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Self-catheterization
With self-catheterization, you insert a thin hollow tube to drain urine from your bladder throughout the day.
Voiding dysfunction doesn’t only affect a person physically, but also socially and emotionally. Wetting your bed at night, struggling to pee every time, running to the bathroom every hour can bring even the strongest down. As a result, they end up secluding themselves in their house in fear of others finding out about their condition. And this act of keeping things to themselves and suffering alone without seeking help will only worsen their condition.
Till your problem gets resolved, you can try using adult diapers. Friends has 20+ years in making adult diapers. We make the best adult diapers that are highly absorbent and long-lasting. Friends Adult Diapers will put all your worries related to voiding dysfunction at ease. Friends Adult Diapers:
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Provide maximum absorption of up to 16 hours depending on the variant.
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Anti-bacterial SAP (super absorbent polymer) instantly turns all liquid leaks into gel form.
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Have a breathable back sheet so that there is no moisture trapped inside the diaper causing you rashes and infections.
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Prevents foul odor.
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100% free of any harmful chemicals and fragrances that might prove harmful to your skin.
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Unisex, and made to fit the bodies of Indians perfectly.
Don’t be shy to talk with your doctor and work up a solution together for voiding dysfunction. You may also benefit from making certain lifestyle changes and nutritional choices your doctor suggests.
Frequently Asked Questions about Voiding Dysfunction
1. What are the symptoms of voiding dysfunction?
Here are the most common voiding dysfunction symptoms:
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Slow and weak stream of urine, or stop-start flow
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Trouble starting urination
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Strong, sudden urge to pee
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Feeling like the bladder is never fully empty
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Frequent urge to pee (overactive bladder)
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Not feeling the urge to pee (underactive bladder)
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Leaking urine
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Bedwetting or making multiple trips to the bathroom during the night
2. How do you treat voiding dysfunction?
There are several treatments for voiding dysfunction based on its symptoms, ranging from therapies, exercises, medications, self-catheterization, to less invasive surgeries. You can have a discussion with your doctor to find the best route of treatment for you.
3. Can bladder dysfunction be cured?
Yes, bladder dysfunction can be cured with healthy lifestyle and dietary changes, exercises, medications, and in serious cases, surgery. But neurogenic bladder, a type of bladder dysfunction relating to the nerve signals between the brain and the bladder, doesn’t have a cure yet and can only be managed with lifestyle changes, exercises, medications, and adult diapers.
