Common diseases of the urinary system

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by MSc Vo Thien Ngon - Urologist, Vinmec International Hospital Da Nang.
The urinary system has the function of filtering blood, forming urine and eliminating toxins after the completion of metabolism from the body. Urinary tract diseases can occur in men, women, and children of all ages. For men alone, they also affect reproductive function. The knowledge about common diseases in the urinary system will help us to be proactive in preventing and dealing with the disease.
Common diseases of the urinary system are listed below:

1. Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlarged, enlarged prostate gland. This disease is very common in men as they age. In general, prostate enlargement is completely benign, not directly related to prostate cancer.
The most common symptom of prostatic hyperplasia is a marked increase in pressure on the urethra causing the affected man to urinate frequently. They may also have a feeling that the flow of urine is weak and also feel that the bladder is not completely empty even after they have finished urinating.
The mainstay of treatment is either monitoring the condition or prescribing medications such as alpha blockers. In severe cases, surgical treatment may be considered.

2. Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control bladder movements, resulting in unwanted urine leakage. Some of the most common causes of this condition include:
Diabetes; Pregnancy or childbirth; Overactive bladder; Diseases of the prostate gland; Weak bladder muscles; Weak perineal muscles (the muscles that support the urethra); Urinary tract infections; Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis; Spinal cord injury; Severe constipation. In most cases, treatment with lifestyle modifications such as periodic fluid control shows limited effectiveness. At this time, sometimes surgical intervention is required to place an artificial urinary catheter out.

3. Urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infection is when the presence of pathogenic bacteria or viruses enter the urinary tract and cause an infection. This pathology is much more common in women due to the anatomical structure. A burning sensation while urinating is one of the most prominent symptoms of a UTI. Other patients report to the doctor because of the need to urinate and the feeling that the bladder is not completely empty after urinating.
At this time, urine test is extremely necessary to diagnose the disease. Once the infection is confirmed, antibiotics are most needed and should resolve the infection within five to seven days.

4. Urinary tract stones

Urinary tract stones are the common name for diseases caused by stones present in any organ in the way of making and excreting urine. In particular, the origin of stone formation is in the kidney, which is the result of deposition based on a high concentration of crystals excreted in the urine.
Accordingly, when the amount of urine is too little or the concentration of minerals in the urine is high, it is deposited in the kidneys, and for a long time, coalesce to form stones. These crystals are produced through the filtration of blood in the renal tubules that form urine. They are usually deposited in the renal papilla because this is where the crystals will undergo the bonding phase. Over time, the crystal will grow larger and larger, forming a stone and being retained by the kidney and continuing to grow.
In addition, according to the flow of urine, stones from the kidney go out to the next organs and stay there, forming ureteral stones, bladder stones. Over time, the stone will grow larger, causing obstruction with the typical manifestation of severe renal colic pain.
At this point, what needs to be done is to resolve the blockage early with interventional procedures, prevent infection as well as preserve kidney function.

5. Erectile Dysfunction

Due to anatomical features, erectile dysfunction is also a pathology of the urinary system. This is a condition that greatly affects the sexual ability in men. The most common cause of erectile dysfunction is restricted blood flow to the genitals.
The treatment of this pathology is quite diverse, including medication or intervention with instrumental procedures. The initial results are quite positive.

6. Other urinary system diseases

Prostate cancer ; Bladder cancer; Bladder endometrial proliferation; Hematuria; Interstitial cystitis; Overactive bladder; Prostatitis .

7. Some tips to protect urinary health

Here are some tips for good urinary health, applicable to both adults and children, including:
Drink enough water daily; Limit salt and caffeine consumption; No smoking and no exposure to secondhand smoke; Strengthen the pelvic floor muscles with specific exercises; Encourage your child to urinate right before bedtime; Limit drinking water at night; Protective equipment is required for men when doing heavy work or playing sports to help prevent injury; Teach young girls to clean their genitals from front to back to limit infection. Finally, it's important to remember that it's you who can best protect your urinary system's health. Therefore, you should check the function of the urinary system by periodic general examination as well as visit the doctor soon when there are any suspicious signs of the disease for intervention and treatment, to avoid possible dangerous complications. happening.
Periodic health check-ups help to detect diseases early so that there is a treatment plan for optimal results. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy, including:
Health checkup package overview Vip Standard general health checkup package Patient's examination results will be returned to your home. After receiving the results of the general health examination, if you detect diseases that require intensive examination and treatment, you can use services from other specialties right at the Hospital with quality treatment and services. outstanding customer service.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: healthline.com; nih.gov