There are many kinds of urinary disease which can affect the urinary system. Most common among them are urinary tract infections, which are frequently seen in many patients of all ages. Stone formations in the kidneys and urinary bladder can cause obstructive urinary disease. Urinary dysfunction can occur as well, such as those seen in cases of stress urinary incontinence and urge incontinence. Some cancers, like renal cell carcinoma among others, are also seen to arise from the urinary tract.
The human urinary system is responsible for the production, storage, and excretion of urine. It mostly clears the body of waste products by excreting them in the process commonly known as urination. When urinary disease occurs, the function of the urinary system is often affected. There are mild, moderate, and severe manifestations of urinary disease, depending on the cause of the disease process.
Urinary tract infections such as cystitis, urethritis, and pyelonephritis often present with numerous symptoms, including pain during urination, frequent urination, fever, nausea, and weakness. Infections usually start with cystitis, which is an infection of the bladder, or urethritis, which is an infection of the urethra. When these infections are not treated accordingly, they can sometimes reach the kidneys and cause pyelonephritis. Organisms which are involved in causing urinary disease infections are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella species, and Proteus species, among numerous other bacteria.
Stones or calculi formations found anywhere in the urinary tract can cause obstruction in the flow of urine. Some components of urinary stones are uric acid and calcium. When there are high concentrations of either of these components in the urine, chances of calculi formations usually increases. Symptoms of stone obstruction in the kidneys often include flank pains, nausea, vomiting, and presence of blood in the urine.
Stress urinary incontinence is just one of the manifestation of urinary dysfunctions. It is frequently observed in women due to the weakening of their pelvic muscles after getting pregnant many times and delivering babies vaginally. Women with stress urinary incontinence generally cannot control the leakage of urine during some activities such as coughing, laughing, or sneezing. Another bladder problem is urge incontinence, which occurs commonly in the elderly and stroke patients. This is caused by an over-active bladder, often leads to frequent urges to urinate and the inability to hold urine in before reaching the toilet.
Renal cell carcinomas are urinary tract cancers that generally develop in the kidneys. Causes of renal cell carcinoma include genetic predisposition, obesity, hypertension, and exposure to heavy metals. Some studies also showed that cigarette smoking increases a person's risk of developing the cancer.