Course: Understanding Continence Promotion: Effective Management of Bladder and Bowel Dysfunction in Adults

So, what is normal? Normal stool (faeces) output is 150-200g a day – the large intestine receives about 600ml of chyme (partly digested food) from the small intestine in a …

The structures involved are the rectum, the internal anal sphincter (IAS) and the external anal sphincter (EAS). These are illustrated in the figure below. Figure 4.2 Anal sphincters. The anal …

In this step we meet ‘James’ who is the fourth and final of our four case studies of people with different types of bladder dysfunction. James has bladder outlet obstruction …

The large bowel starts at the ileocaecal junction and extends down to the anus. It consists of the caecum, colon, rectum and anus or anal canal. Figure 4.1: Anatomy of …

There are five main functions of the colon: 1. Storage: the colon stores unabsorbed food residue. The longer the food residue stays in the colon the more water is absorbed, …

Identifying when a person has an underactive bladder is difficult and consequently the condition is often mis-diagnosed. Identifying the symptoms of an hypotonic bladder from other lower urinary tract symptoms …

Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) has very similar presenting symptoms to what we have seen with an underactive detrusor BUT, the causes are very different. Causes of bladder outlet obstruction Bladder …

In this step, we hear about the third of our four case studies of people with different types of bladder dysfunction. ‘Jean’ has an underactive bladder. Find out how this …

Bladder problems are not inevitable with Parkinson’s but are common, and become more prevalent as the disease advances. Neurological changes in the area of the brain that controls micturition seem …

Urinary incontinence after stroke affects 40-60% of people following acute stroke which is 60,000 – 90,000 people in UK each year. 44% continue to report urinary incontinence at three months …

Diabetes can affect the bladder function in a number of different ways: Glycosuria – glucose in the urine can irritate the bladder and cause urgency and frequency Polyuria – passing …

There are two different clinical conditions to consider in relation to spinal cord lesions and bladder function and these are ‘reflex bladder’ and ‘flaccid bladder’. They are determined by the …

Urinary problems are a common problem for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterised by demyelinated areas (plaques) that can occur anywhere in the central nervous system; …

In this section, find out how neurological conditions affect bladder dysfunction whether there is partial damage to the nerve pathways or when the spinal cord is totally damaged and reflex …