There are numerous types of bladder conditions. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ located in a person's lower abdomen that stores urine prior to evacuation. Doctors use several tests to diagnose bladder problems, including urine tests, X-rays and cystoscope evaluation. MedlinePlus from the U.S. National Library of Medicine states that bladder disease treatment varies depending on the cause and severity of the problem.
Bladder Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, most bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas or cancer that originates in the cells that line the inside of the bladder. Other common types of bladder cancer include squamous cell carcinoma--cancer in thin, flat cells--and adenocarcinoma, or cancer that originates in the bladder's mucus-secreting cells. The NCI states that squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma cancer cells in the bladder arise due to inflammation and irritation of the bladder's inner lining. The NCI estimates that the number of new cases of bladder cancer and bladder cancer-related deaths among Americans in 2010 will be about 70,530 and 14,680, respectively. Tobacco smoking is one of the principle causes of urinary bladder cancer.
Cystitis
Cystitis is the medical term that describes inflammation of the bladder. Bladder inflammation is often caused by a bacterial infection, which is known as a urinary tract infection or UTI. According to MayoClinic.com, bladder infections can cause pain or discomfort, be persistent and annoying and lead to more serious health complaints if the infection reaches a person's kidneys. Bladder infections can also be a side effect of certain medications, radiation treatments, long-term catheter use and consumer products, such as feminine products and spermicides. Common signs and symptoms associated with cystitis include urgency to evacuate the bladder, a burning sensation with urination, blood mixed with urine, an strong urine aroma, a sensation of pressure in the lower abdominal cavity and a low-level fever. Cystitis treatment largely depends on the underlying cause.
Nocturnal Enuresis
According to the National Association For Continence, a consumer education and advocacy group dedicated to bowel and bladder health, nocturnal enuresis is characterized by the involuntary evacuation of the bladder during sleep, and about 2 percent of American adults have some degree of urinary incontinence during sleep. The NAFC states that nocturnal enuresis may have a strong genetic component, and that other common causes of nocturnal enuresis include nocturnal polyuria, or the excessive production of urine during sleep; a small bladder; overactivity of the detrusor muscle, the muscle that contracts when a person is urinating to help squeeze out urine; and consumption of known bladder irritants, such as alcohol and caffeine. According to the NAFC, certain medications can also cause nocturnal enuresis, including insomnia medications and medications for various psychiatric conditions.
