Neurogenic Bladder & Homeopathy

Neurogenic bladder is a condition in which the nerves of the urinary system don't work properly when the bladder is full. It can lead to different kinds of problems, including urine leakage if the muscles holding urine do not get the right message. For some, the muscles don't get the message the bladder is full and its time to let go. If the bladder becomes too full, urine may back up into the kidneys, and the extra pressure causes damage to the tiny blood vessels in the kidney. Urine that stays too long may also cause an infection of the bladder or ureters.

Risk Factors
These include an accident that causes trauma to the brain or spinal cord, exposure to heavy metal poisoning, diabetes, and acute infections. Some patients are born with nerve problems, which can keep a baby's bladder from releasing urine, leading to urinary infections or kidney damage.

Causes
Hypotonic (flaccid) neurogenic bladder is generally caused by damage to the spinal cord due to congenital causes such as lesions to the spinal cord. Spastic (contracted) neurogenic bladder is usually caused by brain or spinal cord damage that results in paraplegia or quadriplegia. Several diseases, including syphilis, as well as diabetes mellitus, brain or spinal cord tumors, stroke, ruptured intervertebral disk, and degenerating diseases such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can also cause hypotonic and spastic neurogenic bladder.

Symptoms
Patients with hypotonic neurogenic bladders have flaccid and distended bladders and constantly leaking small amounts of urine (overflow dribbling). In patients with chronic hypotonic neurogenic bladder, urinary tract infections are common.
Patients with spastic neurogenic bladders from upper spinal cord lesions usually suffer from incontinence.

Diagnosis
Both the nervous system (including the brain) and the bladder itself are to be investigated. X-rays of the skull and spine and an EEG, a test where wires are taped to the forehead to sense any dysfunction in the brain may be needed.
Nerves and muscles of the bladder, including x-rays of the bladder and ureters may also be considered. Other tests may involve filling the bladder to see how much it can hold and checking to see if the bladder empties completely.

Homeopathic Therapeutics
Ferrum phosphoricum: Incontinence of urine, if from weakness of the sphincter muscle. Wetting of the bed, especially in children. Enuresis nocturna, from weakness of the muscles, often seen in women, when every cough causes the urine to spurt. Cystitis, first stage, with pain, heat or feverishness. Suppression of the urine with heat. Excessive secretion of urine. Polyuria simplex. "Irresistible urging to urinate in the daytime, aggravated by standing and accompanied by pain along the urethra and neck of the bladder. Retention of urine with fever in little children, as well as involuntary spurting of urine with every cough." (M. Deschere, M.D. ) Some varieties of red wine will cure nocturnal enuresis in children, owing to the iron contained therein. Dose night and morning. Diurnal enuresis depending on irritation of neck of the bladder and end of penis.

Kalium muriaticum Cystitis, second stage, when swelling has set in (interstitial exudation), and discharge of thick, white mucus. "In this trouble there is no better internal remedy." (Peltier.) The principal remedy in chronic cystitis. Urine dark-colored, deposit of uric acid, where these exist torpor and inactivity of the liver.

Kalium phosphoricum Cystitis in asthenic conditions with prostration. Frequent urination, or passing large quantities of water. Frequent scalding; nervous weakness. Incontinence of urine from nervous debility, bleeding from the urethra. Paralysis, affecting the sphincter muscle, causing inability to retain the urine. Enuresis in older children. Urine quite yellow. Itching in urethra. Cutting pain in bladder and urethra.

Kalium sulphuricum According to Mitchell this remedy was used by Haerman, of Paris, and endorsed by the late T.F. Allen for Oxaluria. Magnesium phosphoricum Constant urging to urinate whenever the person is standing or walking. Spasmodic retention of the urine. Gravel. Pain after the use of the catheter, a sensation as if the muscles did not contract. Child passes large quantities of urine. [Page 334. ]

Natrium phosphoricum Incontinence of urine in children with acidity. Polyuria. Urine dark-red, with arthritis. Frequent micturition. Diabetes. Atony of the bladder. Gravel. Schussler in his last edition claims that this is the chief remedy in catarrh of the bladder.

Natrium sulphuricum Sandy deposit or sediment in the urine, gravel, lithic deposits, brickdust-like coloring matter in the water, associated with gout. Polyuria simplex, excessive secretion if diabetic. Urine loaded with bile. Wetting of the bed at night, or retention of urine.

Silicea terra Urine loaded with pus and mucus. Red sandy deposit of uric acid. Enuresis from worms and in chorea. Must get up at night to urinate.

Calcarea sulphurica Inflammation of the bladder, in chronic stage, pus forming. Red urine with hectic fever. Nephritis scarlatinosa. (S. Lilienthal.)

Calcarea phosphorica Urine copious. Enuresis, wetting the bed in young children and in old people, as an intercurrent after Natrum sulph.. For gravel, calculous, phosphatic deposit. To check the reformation of stone in the bladder, also butter-milk or koumiss as a dietary help. Flocculent sediment in urine.

Natrium muriaticum Polyuria, with much emaciation; haematuria after scurvy; cutting pain after urinating. Cystitis. Involuntary urination when walking, coughing, etc. Incontinence of urine. Cutting in urethra after urinating.

Calcarea fluorica Copious urine with frequent urging. Urine scanty and high colored, and emits a pungent odor. Vaccination Should any bad results show themselves Kali mur. will give entire satisfaction. (Schussler.) If necessary, follow with Silicea.