Male & Female Voiding Dysfunction

The lower urinary tract system includes both the bladder and urethra. These allow for storage and timely expulsion of urine from the body.
Voiding dysfunction describes a broad condition in which there is poor coordination between the bladder muscle and the urethra, resulting in incomplete relaxation or over-activity of the pelvic floor muscles during voiding.

For men, common causes of obstructive symptoms include an enlarged prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostatitis. Other common causes are urethral stricture (scar tissue), bladder tumors or stones (benign or cancer). Pelvic floor hyperactivity can also be found in men. There are many additional causes of Male Voiding Dysfunction which should be investigated if symptoms are being experienced.

For women, voiding dysfunction can be due to nerve dysfunction and non-relaxing pelvic floor muscles or even both. Causes include underactivity of the detrusor (bladder) or urethra (outflow). Evaluation by a clinician is critical if symptoms are being experienced as there many possible treatments. Specific conditions of female voicing dysfunction include Urinary Incontinence and Interstitial Cystitis.