spastic bladder
Noun: A type of neurogenic bladder dysfunction characterized by involuntary, uncontrolled, and often frequent contractions of the detrusor muscle (the bladder wall muscle). This results from a disruption of normal nerve signals between the bladder and the spinal cord or brain, commonly due to conditions like spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or trauma.
This is a specific medical term. It is used to describe a diagnosed condition affecting bladder control. * The patient's spinal cord injury led to the development of a spastic bladder. * Symptoms of a spastic bladder often include urgency, frequency, and incontinence. * Management of a spastic bladder may involve medication, catheterization, or other therapies.
The term is primarily clinical. In more general or patient-friendly language, healthcare providers may use descriptive terms like "overactive bladder due to nerve damage" or "neurogenic overactive bladder" to convey a similar meaning without the potentially stigmatizing historical connotations of the word "spastic."
- Neurogenic Bladder (n): The broader category of bladder dysfunction caused by nerve problems, which includes both spastic (overactive) and flaccid (underactive) types.
- Detrusor Hyperreflexia (n): A more precise clinical synonym for spastic bladder, referring specifically to the overactive reflexes of the bladder muscle.
- Overactive Bladder (OAB) (n): A condition with similar symptoms (urgency, frequency) but not necessarily caused by a known neurological lesion. A spastic bladder is a form of neurogenic OAB.
- Neurogenic overactive bladder
- Detrusor hyperreflexia
- Reflex bladder (in specific spinal cord injury contexts)
- Flaccid Bladder (n): A type of neurogenic bladder where the muscle is underactive and cannot contract properly, often leading to urinary retention.
The word "spastic" in a medical context strictly describes increased muscle tone or involuntary contractions. However, due to its offensive misuse as a derogatory term for people with cerebral palsy or other motor disabilities, its use outside precise clinical documentation has diminished. Sensitivity is required when using this term.
- a urinary bladder disorder resulting from spinal cord lesion or multiple sclerosis or trauma; absence of bladder sensation and incontinence and interrupted voiding of urine