Facts about our bladder
August 8, 2023
6 min
What functions does our bladder have?
As already mentioned in the blog post about the kidneys, the kidneys filter toxic substances and other substances from our body. These substances are excreted in the urine. The bladder collects the urine produced by the kidneys. The urine is transported from the kidneys to our bladder via the ureters. The bladder therefore serves as a buffer for our urine so that we don't have to urinate all the time. When the bladder fills up, it expands - similar to a balloon. The bladder therefore changes its size and shape depending on how full it is.
How does the bladder know when to release urine?
In the bladder wall, which consists of a bladder muscle, special nerve cells register the stretching and signal to the brain that the bladder is full. When urinating, the bladder muscle contracts and the urine can flow out via the urethra.
What does "incontinence" mean?
People who suffer from incontinence normally no longer have control over emptying their bladder. The "urination" happens completely at random. The causes can vary. In general, women are more frequently affected by incontinence than men, as pregnancy and childbirth put particular strain on the urogenital system.
How much urine can the bladder store?
The capacity of the bladder is often greater in men than in women. However, the urge to urinate arises from a bladder filling of around 250 ml. The maximum capacity of an adult depends on body size and is between 900 and 1500 ml.
Women are more susceptible to bladder infections than men. Why is that?
A bladder infection - also known as cystitis - is an infection of the bladder that is normally caused by bacteria. In most cases, this type of inflammation is extremely painful and unpleasant for those affected. Women are more susceptible to bladder infections due to the length of the urethra. The female urethra is only about 4 cm long - in contrast to men, whose urethra is between 17 and 20 cm long. The shorter urethra makes it easier for germs and bacteria to enter the bladder and cause inflammation.
How often is it normal to "urinate"?
If you drink a reasonable amount of water a day - i.e. between 1.5 and 2 litres a day - it is assumed that you empty your bladder between four and seven times a day. In total, an adult excretes around 1 to 1.5 litres of urine per day.
Bladder weakness: can you train your own bladder?
As the bladder consists of a muscle, it can be trained like any other muscle in the body. It is therefore possible to train the bladder to absorb more fluid and therefore stretch more. On the other hand, the bladder can also shrink if it is not exercised. Bladder training can help with this.
Bladder weakness and incontinence are also not uncommon after childbirth. The cause is usually weakened pelvic floor muscles. These muscles can also be trained: In our therapy centre, we offer postnatal gymnastics to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Weitere Beiträge
Counsellor
Bonding: Why the first skin contact with your baby is so important
It is a unique moment that parents never forget: the first time they feel their newborn baby - tiny, warm, full of life. This first contact is more than just a moving moment. It is the beginning of a deep emotional bond between the child and its parents. In our obstetrics and neonatology department at Zollikerberg Hospital, we do everything we can to ensure that these first moments are calm, intimate and undisturbed.
Counsellor
Chronic kidney disease - recognise it early, take targeted action
Our kidneys perform vital tasks - they regulate the fluid balance, filter the blood and keep the blood pressure in balance. If these functions are impaired over a long period of time, this is known as chronic kidney disease. The disease often progresses gradually and goes unnoticed for a long time. In our blog post, you can find out the underlying causes, how to recognise the first signs, what modern treatment options are available - and what you can do to prevent it yourself.
Counsellor
Sudden pain? Keeping an eye on gallstones
Gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder can lead to severe pain and recurring symptoms. The good news: thanks to minimally invasive, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, removing the gallbladder is now a routine procedure with a short recovery time. In this blog post, our head physician Dr Henner Schmidt explains when surgery is advisable, how the procedure is performed and what patients should know to ensure a speedy recovery.