Question

You are a hospital nurse caring for a 62-year-old accountant who was admitted following a        motor vehicle accident. During her hospitalization, a significant lack of urination was    detected. Her primary care physician has ordered significant testing while the patient is             recovering from her injuries.  

d. Describe the effects of decreased bladder and sphincter tone on urination.

e. What can cause decreased urinary structure muscle tone?

(no hand writing please)

Answer 1

d. The effects of decreased bladder and sphincter tone on urination

The detrusor muscle is responsible for the bladder to shrink for excretion or loosen for holding the urine. This muscle is attached to the internal urethral sphincter at the lower end of the bladder. So, urination happens when the muscle contracts and by the simultaneous urethral sphincter relaxation. The effects of decreased bladder and sphincter tone are:

• Urinary retention

Urinary retention is defined as the difficulty to pass urine or empty the bladder partly or fully.

• Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is defined as the difficulty to control the leakage of urine.

• Combination of retention and incontinence

e. What can cause decreased urinary structure muscle tone?

• Obesity- increased body fat reduces the tone of the muscles.
• Diabetes mellitus - Due to diabetes nerve damage can happen.
• Urinary tract infection
• Constipation - constipation for a prolonged time can exhaust detrusor muscle.
• Aging - leads to muscular weakness.
• Spinal cord injury - interferes with bladder functioning signals.