The bladder is an organ of the urinary (in women) or urogenital (in men) system located in the pelvic cavity. Its main purpose: the accumulation and withdrawal of urine. The organ is elastic: it can shrink if the amount of excrement is small, and stretch if there is a lot of urine. A bladder volume that is normal for men and women indicates a healthy excretory system. Under the influence of certain factors, the size of the organ can change, which negatively affects overall health.
What is the function of the urinary organ
The organ acts as a reservoir of urine, from which it is subsequently excreted under the influence of contraction of the detrusor (smooth muscles).
Due to excretion and reverse absorption, secretion and filtration, the kidneys form urine, which accumulates in the bladder. The human body can produce up to 1.5 liters of liquid excrement per day. Some drugs may affect urine production.
The organ that accumulates urine does not contain so much. The normal bladder volume in men is 350-750 ml. In women, the capacity is slightly less - 250-550 ml. With the accumulation of 200 ml of excretory fluid in the body, a person feels the urge to deurinate.
The process of urination is carried out using the innervation of the body.
Why you need to know the volume of the bladder
Information about the volume of the organ of the urinary system is very important for establishing the recognition of diseases and making a medical opinion. Such information is obtained using non-invasive studies (ultrasound, sonography). These types of diagnostics not only allow you to find out how much a man or woman has a bladder, but also determine the residual urine.
The organ capacity is calculated using formulas. Ultrasonic devices use different techniques for automatic volume calculation. In order to make sure that the device accurately performs calculations, they are preliminarily done manually.
Normal Hollow Organ Volume in Adults
The size of the organ depends on the gender and age of the person. The minimum bladder volume of an adult male is normal - 350 ml. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, the smallest capacity of the female hollow organ is 250 ml. The maximum volume in men and women is 750 and 550 ml, respectively.
This difference is due to the localization of the bubble. In representatives of the weaker sex, the back wall of the organ borders on the organ in which the fetus is hatched. The indicators vary slightly, they are affected by age, lifestyle, number of pregnancies and childbirth. In men, the bladder is located next to the prostate gland. The urea can be so easily stretched due to the smooth muscles that form the organ wall. If the volume of the excretory organ is lower or higher than normal, it is necessary to analyze its walls.
In the absence of pathologies, the configuration of the organ should be ellipsoidal or cylindrical. The shape of the female bladder has characteristic distinctive features in comparison with the male one and resembles a cylinder: it is squeezed from above and most widened on the sides.
A healthy bladder has a clear and even outline. In the filled state, the wall thickness is 2-3 mm, and after emptying, no more than 15 mm. After the act of deurination, urine always remains in the organ, it is called residual. Normally, it should be 50 ml.
What are the normal sizes of the excretory organ in children
The volume of the bladder in men and women differs significantly from that of children. The norm of the indicator directly depends on the age of the child. The organ begins to form before birth in the womb, and ends when a person reaches 13-14 years. Normally, in men, the volume of the bladder is almost the same as in healthy young adolescents.
At puberty, reproductive organs are finally formed. Prior to this period, the volume of the hollow organ of the urinary system in boys and girls is the same and depends only on how old the child is.
- up to a year, the capacity of the urea is 35-50 ml;
- 1-3 years - 50-70 ml;
- 3-8 years - 100-200 ml;
- at the age of 8-10 years, the volume of the organ of the urinary system is 200-300 ml;
- 10-14 years - 300-450 ml.
Puberty in girls occurs a little earlier. This affects the size of the organ, which will remain unchanged over time.
How is organ capacity calculated
The more a person knows about his body, the better he will be able to withstand the effects of various negative factors. In order to calculate how much bladder an adult man or woman has, one can use certain formulas:
- Automatic computing. The easiest, most accurate and affordable way to count using an ultrasound machine. During the study, measurements are made of the parameters of the bladder: width (W), length (L), height (H). The data are substituted into the formula V (volume) = 0.75 x W x L x H.
- Determination by weight. A person is weighed, the data obtained is inserted into a simple formula: V (volume) = m (body weight) x 10. Such calculations are used if a man or woman does not suffer from underweight or overweight.
- Formula cylinder. Counting can be done, knowing the parameters of the hollow organ obtained during ultrasound. V = 3.14 x r (radius) 2 x H (height).
What affects the increase in size
The volume of the bladder in men and women varies slightly throughout life. Factors affecting organ modification are very diverse and are not always associated with diseases. The capacity of the bladder may decrease or increase due to age-related characteristics. In women, the main cause of volume changes is pregnancy and childbirth. Preconditions for transformation:
- neurological disorders;
- surgical operations;
- chronic inflammatory processes;
- the presence of tumors;
- the formation of polyps;
- course drug therapy.
With the normal functioning of the body, a person during the day to go pee 8 times. If the desire arises much less or more often, this is a serious reason to consult a doctor. The main reasons that affect organ enlargement are:
- Cystostomy.
- The difficult process of deurination, even with overflowing urea.
- Stones in the ureter.
- Pathologies in which the prostate is affected.
- Gallbladder inflammation.
- Bladder hyporeflexivity.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Salpingoophoritis is an inflammation of the ovaries and uterine appendages.
Not always exceeding the maximum bladder volume in men and women is a consequence of any pathologies. The cause of the increase may be overwork, lack of sleep. The body is in tension for a long time, and this affects all systems and organs, including the urea.
Incorrect placement or prolonged use of the catheter can contribute to organ enlargement.
Reasons for the decrease
With a decrease in volume, the bladder quickly fills up. Frequent urge to paruria occurs, which makes a person uncomfortable. If such symptoms occur, you need to make the necessary diagnosis.
The main factors affecting a decrease in the bladder volume in men and women are impaired innervation and infectious and inflammatory diseases. Among the many pathologies, the following are most often found:
- Diabetic angiopathy
- Koch's wounds (tuberculosis) of the excretory system.
- Inflammation leading to impaired function of the mucous membrane of the urea.
- Non-infectious damage to the inner membrane of the excretory organ (radiation cystitis).
- Bilharzioz.
- Overactive bladder.
The above diseases are difficult to treat. Restoring fully functional organ is extremely difficult.
Ways to increase bubble size
After carrying out all the necessary studies, the cause is established. If the volume has decreased due to infectious diseases, course therapy is prescribed. After the patient gets rid of the root cause, the doctor re-diagnoses and prescribes a conservative or surgical treatment method depending on the results.
Non-surgical methods include:
- medications that block the urge to dering;
- hydrodistension is a method in which, under high pressure, a saline or glycine solution is injected into the bladder in order to increase it.
If these procedures are ineffective or there are contraindications, surgical methods of therapy are used:
- Removing part of the detrusor of the excretory organ.
- Excision of a part of the internal sphincter.
- An increase in urea due to the tissues of another hollow muscle organ (stomach or intestines).
- Cystectomy
What needs to be done to reduce the organ of the excretory system
To reduce the bladder in men and women resort to conservative therapy, since it is considered the most effective.
With a not very strong increase in the body, the patient is recommended to change his lifestyle (to get rid of bad habits, lose weight, review the diet). If this is not enough, the specialist may suggest other methods of treatment:
- A course of special medicines.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures.
- Therapeutic exercises.
Bladder modifications often indicate a malfunction of the body. Avoid chronic pathologies will help a timely visit to the doctor.