A bladder dysfunction caused by nerve damage is known as

A bladder dysfunction caused by nerve damage is known as

• A. A temporary inability to urinate due to dehydration.
• B. A kidney infection.
• C. A urinary stone blocking the ureter.
• D. A bladder dysfunction caused by nerve damage.

Answer: (D)

Neurogenic bladder describes a bladder dysfunction that arises when the nerves controlling the bladder are damaged. When nerve signals from the spinal cord and pelvic nerves are disrupted, the muscles that store and release urine can’t coordinate properly. This can lead to problems such as urinary incontinence, or difficulty emptying the bladder (retention), and may increase the risk of infections. Causes include spinal cord injury, diabetes-related neuropathy, and other nerve injuries that affect bladder control. The other scenarios don’t involve nerve disruption of bladder control: dehydration can temporarily impair urination but isn’t caused by nerve damage; a kidney infection is an infection of the kidney itself; a stone blocking the ureter is a mechanical obstruction. None of these describe nerve-mediated loss of bladder control, so the term for bladder dysfunction due to nerve damage is neurogenic bladder.

Neurogenic bladder describes a bladder dysfunction that arises when the nerves controlling the bladder are damaged. When nerve signals from the spinal cord and pelvic nerves are disrupted, the muscles that store and release urine can’t coordinate properly. This can lead to problems such as urinary incontinence, or difficulty emptying the bladder (retention), and may increase the risk of infections. Causes include spinal cord injury, diabetes-related neuropathy, and other nerve injuries that affect bladder control.

The other scenarios don’t involve nerve disruption of bladder control: dehydration can temporarily impair urination but isn’t caused by nerve damage; a kidney infection is an infection of the kidney itself; a stone blocking the ureter is a mechanical obstruction. None of these describe nerve-mediated loss of bladder control, so the term for bladder dysfunction due to nerve damage is neurogenic bladder.