Neurogenic bladder

Medications may help manage your symptoms. Your doctor may recommend:

• Medicines that relax the bladder (oxybutynin or propantheline) for overactive bladder
• Medicines that make certain nerves more active (bethanechol) for underactive bladder
• Medicines that treat infection (antibiotics) if the bladder problems lead to an infection

Your health care provider may also teach you some exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles (Kegel exercises).

Learn to recognize the symptoms of urniary infections, such as burning when you urinate, fever, low back pain on one side, and a more frequent need to urinate.

Some people with multiple sclerosis need to use a urinary catheter. This is a thin tube that is inserted into your bladder:

• You may need a catheter to be in place all the time (indwelling catheter)
• You may need a catheter to be placed in your bladder 4 to 6 times a day to keep your bladder from becoming too full (intermittent catheterization)

Sometimes surgery is needed. Surgeries for neurogenic bladder include:

• Artificial sphincter
• Electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve
• Sling surgery

See: Incontinence resources

• Chronic urine leakage can cause skin breakdown and pressure sores
• Kidney damage may occur if the bladder becomes too full, causing pressure to build up in the tubes leading to the kidneys and in the kidneys themselves
• Urinary tract infections

Call you health care provider if you:

• Are unable to empty your bladder at all
• Have signs of a bladder infection (fever, burning when you urinate, frequent urination)
• Urinate small amounts, frequently