Prostex Prostate Health Blog

How the Bladder Works

Keep in mind that my blogs do not contain sophisticated medical explanations of the topics being discussed. Instead, I much prefer to use simple, pragmatic explanations and diagrams that will not be confusing to the average lay person seeking a basic knowledge of the subjects being presented.  If, for some reason, you want a more scientific explanation of the subject matter, please contact me and I will try to accommodate your wishes.  With this in mind, let's move forward with our explanation of "How the Bladder Works".

I can best do this in steps:

1. When you drink liquids, the liquid is absorbed through your body and eventually reaches the kidneys.
2. A prime function of the kidneys is to filter out waste matter and extra water to make urine.
3. From each kidney there is a tube that is connected to the bladder.
4. These tubes are called "ureters".
5. The urine that is produced in the kidneys flows from the kidneys through the ureters into the bladder, where it is stored until the bladder becomes full.
6. The bladder is much like a balloon, and as it fills it expands like a balloon.
7. When the bladder has accumulated about a couple of cups of urine, signals are sent to one's brain to indicate that the bladder is becoming full and ready for emptying.
8. If, for some reason, you cannot get to a bathroom, the bladder continues to expand to hold more urine.
9. The signal to go to the bathroom becomes stronger and stronger as the bladder continues to expand further.
10. When you do go to the bathroom, the brain tells the bladder to release the urine from the bladder, which results in urination.
11. In men, urination is the flow of urine from the bladder, through another tube that exits the bladder known as the urethra (see my blog; "What is BPH?").
12. In the illustration below, you are able to trace the urinary tract.
13. #1 (kidneys), #2 (ureters), #3 (urethra), #4 (bladder). 
    
    In future blogs, this information about "how the bladder works" will be useful to gain a better understanding of the various problems that arise in the urinary tract.