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My bladder, my life

Bladder management

  • Bladder types
  • Starting with catheters
  • Problems
  • Life hacks
  • Inside the bladder
  • Equipment
Bladder types
  • What’s my bladder type?
    • Pre-injury or normal bladder
    • Lower motor neuron lesion
    • Upper motor neuron lesion
  • What happens after SCI?
    • Phases of bladder management
      • Lower motor neuron lesion

        Lower motor neurons are nerves that live outside the spinal cord or brain. These are the nerves that the upper motor neurons connect to.

        When a lower motor neuron is damaged (e.g. a spinal cord injury below T12), the messages that would normally pass through the neuron aren’t able to connect to the muscles that they control.

        Damage to the lower motor neurons mean that reflexes no longer work. This is because the messages that normally tell the spinal cord to make a reflex happen can’t get through the damaged nerve, and the reflex doesn’t happen.

        Lower motor neuron/sacral or infrasacral lesion

        Flaccid bladder

        A lower motor neuron lesion usually results in what’s called a flaccid bladder.

        A flaccid bladder means that the bladder doesn’t respond as it fills up. The brain isn’t aware that the bladder is full and the bladder doesn’t try to empty itself like in the case of a reflex bladder.

        Pre-injury or normal bladder
        Upper motor neuron lesion

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        Quick links

        • Bladder types
        • Starting with catheters
        • Problems
        • Life hacks
        • Inside the bladder
        • Equipment

        About this resource

        This web resource is part of a research project to improve bladder management at the Austin, by increasing the use of intermittent catheterisation.

        The research project is funded by TAC.

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        This research project is brought to you by

        Austin Health
        TAC
        ISCRR
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        Contacts

        Austin Health
        03 9496 5000
        Victorian Spinal Cord Service
        03 9496 5220
        Spinal Urology Nurse
        03 9496 5904
        spinalurologynurse@austin.org.au
        VSCS outpatient Nurse
        03 9496 5176
        vscsoutpatients@austin.org.au

        Disclaimer

        This information has been developed for Austin Health use and has been specifically designed for Austin Health. This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. Austin Health accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed on this website. Written information should only be used in conjunction with advice from the health professional who is looking after you.

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