After sustaining a spinal cord injury the bladder and bowel may be affected in several ways depending on the neurological level and completeness of injury.
In normal urination, when the bladder is full, a message is sent from the bladder to the brain. The brain replies to tell the bladder to squeeze (contract) the detrusor muscle and relax the sphincter muscles so urine is expelled.
A spinal cord injury (SCI) -can interrupt the nerve pathways from brain to bladder. Bowel functions may also be affected from the injury.
This can result in the following:
- Inability to store urine - Little or no control over when the bladder empties (reflex incontinence) causing leaking and wetness. This is known as reflex or spastic bladder.
- Inability to empty the bladder – This is when the bladder is full and cannot empty. The walls of the bladder stretch as it continues to fill with urine, which can cause damage to the bladder and kidneys. This is known as a flaccid bladder.
- Disrupted Bowel Evacuation- This is when the body has no or very little voluntary control over the intestinal flow and stools cannot be passed down into the bowel naturally.
Bladder control limitations post SCI
These are some problems which could be associated with a poorly managed bladder/bowel:
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s)
- Bladder incontinence
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Kidney failure
- Sepsis (bloodstream infection)
- Odour
- Skin irritation
Possible side effects with losing bladder/bowel control
The list below outlines a few of the side effects recorded relating to bladder/bowel control following a spinal injury.
- Stress and depression
- Lack of self confidence
- Social isolation
- Lack of freedom
- Sleep deprivation
- Loss of independence
- Poor quality of life
Bladder and bowel control treatments
There are several possible treatment options for bladder control problems. These range from catheters to Botox injections.
Our product, The Finetech Brindley Bladder Control System (branded VOCARE in the US), is amongst several options to consider when choosing a treatment for bladder/bowel management following a complete spinal injury. The Bladder Control System is a more permanent solution to this problem.
This product is available worldwide and in the UK may be covered on the NHS, please complete an enquiry form in our contact us section to enquire about this product and information on NHS funding.
Finetech Brindley Bladder Control System, a reliable product:
- CE Marked (April 1996)
- Over 25 years of Experience
- Over 3,000 Worldwide Users
- Worldwide Distribution
- Highly Recommended by Medical Professionals
- Proven to reduce UTI’s by eliminating the use of urethral catheters.