The Urinary System

The urinary system is not something you think about until you have had that second or third glass of water or you wake in the middle of the night and stumble through the house to the bathroom. The urinary system starts with the kidneys which filter blood and produces urine. Urine then carried by what is called ureters which are two tubes that carry the urine to the bladder. The urine can be stored in the bladder until it becomes full in which case it then sends signals to the brain telling you it’s time to find a bathroom. Urination is the process of releasing urine from the bladder through the urethra and to out of the body. Kidneys don’t just produce urine they also produce hormones as well as create a balance of essential internal conditions …show more content…
Maybe it is not the only key but the urinary system and urine itself can hold a lot of information on what is going on in the body. Doctors become concerned when they are told that a person is having lack of urine output, increase urine output, inability to control the bladder, urgency and a urine sample is asked for often when you go to a doctor visit. The characteristics of urine can be of concern to doctors whether the urine is cloudy, dark, odor or content, though these visuals are not always cause for concern as they may appear in a healthy person’s urine as well depending on the amount of fluid they drink or the types of food they eat. More than a hundred different tests can be done on a urine …show more content…
Though it effects both men and women it is twice as common in women. The most common types of incontinence in women are stress and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence is cause by the loss of the support to the urethra which is usually caused by damage to the pelvic support structures because of childbirth. It is characterized by leaking small amounts of urine while doing an activity such as sneezing, coughing and lifting. About 33% of women experience urinary incontinence after giving childbirth, women who deliver vaginally are twice as likely to experience incontinence then those who give birth through C-section. Enlarged prostate is the most common cause of urinary incontinence for men after the age of 40. Prostate cancer may also be associated with urinary incontinence also drugs or cancer treatments used to treat prostate cancer can also cause urinary incontinence. Disorders like multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, Parkinson’s disease, strokes, and spinal cord injuries can interfere with the nerve function of the bladder can be linked with urinary incontinence. (Web MD) Urge incontinence is caused by contractions of the detrusor muscles. It is characterized by leaking large amounts of urine with little warning beforehand to be able to make it to the bathroom on