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The
Male Urinary System: Nothing But Smooth Sailing--When It's Not Saddle
Down With Infections
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The male urinary
system
is a complex system that works in total synchronization to accomplish
its purpose—storing and removing urine from the body without
complicated delays and disruptions. The male urinary system works much
like a well choreographed dance that involves the whole
ensemble—each with its own meticulous task to accomplish.
The male urinary system consists of the kidneys (normally two), ureter
tubes (2), bladder, and urethra. And although the prostate gland is
actually part of the male reproductive system it plays a very, very
important role in the smooth operation or villain in the disruption of
the smooth operating urinary system in men.
The
kidneys are responsible for
removing
waste from the blood along
with excess water and other impurities (urea, sodium, potassium,
chloride). Once all the refuse has been separated from the blood and
other useful elements have been put back into the blood in proper
proportion, the kidneys then turn all refuse into urine. Urine is made
in the kidneys and sent to the bladder via the two ureter tubes that
connects one tube per kidney and leads at the opposite end to the
bladder.
The bladder
acts as a holding
tank for the urine; once it is filled to
about half of its holding capacity or slightly more, it sends a nerve
signal to the brain signifying that it is full or has reached its
capacity for storing urine. The brain will immediately notify the
bladder by sending a responding nerve signal to go ahead and release
its content; actually the brain will send a nerve signal to the
detrusor muscle that makes up the interior walls of the bladder. Once
the detrusor muscle receives the command to rid itself of its content
it will begin spastically squeezing the urine out of the bladder.
The urine will exit the bladder through the urethra that is located at
the base of the bladder and travel through the prostate gland and
through the male sexual gland and out the body. This seemingly simple
task appears to be uncomplicated enough until you begin to understand
what must happen prior to the urine exiting the body. For example, when
the destrusor muscle receives the signal from the brain to remove all
of its content and begin doing so; at that very moment with ultimate
precision the brain must also send a nerve signal to the sphincter
muscle that is located at the bottleneck of the bladder to release its
grip in order to allow the urine to flow freely out of the bladder.
Timing is critical for the urine to be able to pass out of the bladder
and through the urethra as it continues out the body. If
there’s any type of disruption of any kind the urine could be
disallowed to exit the bladder in the proper way. For whatever
reason(s); urinary
tract
infections (UTI), STDs or
sexually transmitted
diseases, diseases of the nervous system (Alzheimer, Parkinson disease,
muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, etc.)along spinal cord injuries
can disrupt the normally smooth operation of the male urinary system.
One of the biggest problems that the male urinary system face is the
constant threat of urinary tract infections (UTI) that can not only
hinder the normally smooth operating urinary system but it can also
present some deadly challenges (Escherichia coli or e
coli) if the infections are not successfully treated in a timely
manner. Infections like the bacterium spirochetal Treponema that causes
syphilis; neisseria gonorrhea that causes gonorrhea; Chlamydia
trachomatis that causes Chlamydia; herpes simplex virus, and
prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate, can left untreated or when
treatment is sought too late end in a painful and agonizing death.
Urinary tract infections (UTI) must be treated by a physician as
quickly as possible to determine the origin, cause and the
identification of the infection. Timing is truly of the essence in
order for the treatment(s) to be effective. In many cases where a
primary care giver is consulted; due to the nature and severity of the
infection(s) a urologist may be recommended by your primary care
physician. A urologist is a surgeon that specializes in the genital and
urinary system.
The prostate gland can and does become infected; an infected prostate
gland is known as prostatitis
(inflammation of the prostate) and it
usually becomes enlarged from infection. An enlarged prostate can
prohibit urine from passing through the urethra by squeezing it shut in
its swollen or enlarged state. When the urethra becomes encumbered it
will be an insufficient passageway for the urine to exit out of the
bladder. When the urine is unable to exit the bladder via the urethra
it will begin to leak out of the bladder. This is a type of urinary
incontinence is known as “overflow” incontinence,
and it is responsible for leakages that occur in men.
When the prostate
gland becomes
infected from a urinary tract infection
or diseased from a malignant tumor (prostate cancer) it is often
surgically removed. This type of surgery is known as a prostatectomy or
radical prostatectomy if the lymph nodes nearby are removed too. When
the prostate is removed it usually creates “stress”
incontinence during the post operative period. Stress incontinence
usually affects females who are pregnant or who have recently given
birth; however, many women over the age of fifty suffer with stress
incontinence much more frequently than younger women.
Stress incontinence
is a type of urinary incontinence that occurs upon
laughing, coughing, sneezing, or mostly any type of physical activity.
More often than not when someone suffers with stress incontinence they
generally leak urine. As stated earlier this type of leakage generally
occurs when laughing, coughing, sneezing, or even exercising. During
post surgery most men suffer from stress incontinence temporarily and
once the healing is complete stress incontinence ceases to be a
problem, but for a small percentage of men for some reason or another
it plagues them for the rest of their lives.
The urethra, the tube or conduit that the urine travels through once it
leaves the bladder to exit out of the body can become infected with a
urinary tract infection just like the other organs of the male urinary
system. The urethra can become so badly infected until it has to be
surgically removed. There are several medical procedures in place to
surgically remove it and redirect the flow of urine. Urethritis is the
inflammation of the urethra and it can occur from STDs, viruses, and
also injury. An inflamed urethra will prohibit the passing of urine in
the worst case scenario and it can even restrict urine flow even with a
mild urinary tract infection.
The bladder,
shaped much like
a balloon when it is filled with urine
can easily become infected with a urinary tract infection. Urine passed
down from the kidneys through the ureter tubes can be badly infected
with bacteria; bacteria that was removed from the blood by the kidneys
during the cleansing of the blood. If the infected urine is left in the
bladder too long it can infect the bladder; also, urinary infections in
the lower urinary tract (LUT) can ascend up from the prostate and/or
urethra to the bladder as well. When the urethra is blocked for
whatever reason(s) it prevents the passing or voiding of urine; urine
is made to remain in the bladder until it begins leaking out, stagnant
urine just sitting in the bladder is an ideal breeding place for
bacteria to cause a urinary tract infection.
In essence, the bladder can become infected from multiple sources
(mostly bacteria, but also diseases) at the same time. Good bladder
health is essential to a person well being; any urinary tract
infections left untreated for a substantial amount of time could result
in irreversible damage to other organs in the urinary system as well as
other organs in the body as a whole. When the bladder contracts a
urinary tract infection it ceases to function correctly; instead, it
can begin to act erratic.
For instance, the detrusor muscle can begin to act erratic by
squeezing the urine inside of the bladder when it has not received a
nerve signal from the brain to do so. Urinary tract infections can
damage the nerve signals that originate from the brain and prevent them
from signaling the bladder; also, the nerve signals that originate from
the bladder can be prevented from reaching the brain due spinal cord
injury or diseases that have attacked the central nervous system..
When the detrusor muscle inside the bladder begin squeezing hard and
forcing the urine out of the bladder when it has not received a nerve
signal from the brain it almost always create an embarrassing and
humiliating encounter for the male this has this bladder problem. When
this happens the male is forced to run at top speed to try and reach
the bathroom before he begin urinating on himself…and
usually he never makes it. In all but a few cases it usually ends in an
embarrassment, especially when it happens in a public setting or at an
intimate moment.
This type of urinary incontinence is known as
“urge”
or
“urgency”
incontinence. In most cases the need to urinate happens suddenly
without any notice, and the need to urinate is uncontrollable and
unstoppable. Urge incontinence has proven to be the most devastating
form or type of urinary incontinence in men because of the
psychological and emotional damage it inflict on those who suffer with
it.
In closing, the male urinary system really is a ‘work of
art’ in and of itself. When it is functioning correctly it
creates no problems and helps facilitate the proper functioning of all
the other systems in the body; however, when it is not functioning
correctly it can create havoc throughout the whole body and be the
underlying reason why there is a breakdown with other systems in the
body.
That’s why it is so important that men seek out medical help
at the first sign of a problem concerning their health in general and
their
urinary system in particular. Delaying treatment(s) can in many cases
make the difference between life and death. So make every attempt to
establish a good working relationship with your primary care giver
and/or urologist before trouble comes knocking at your door.
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