Dictionary

Abdomen - area of the body between the lower border of the ribs and upper border of the thighs.

Bladder - a balloon-like organ located in the pelvis that stores and empties the body’s urine.

Constipation - infrequent or difficult passing of dry, hard stools.

Detrusor - the large muscle in the bladder wall that expands to store urine and squeezes or contracts to expel urine; this muscle is too active in persons with overactive bladder.

Diagnosis - identifying a disease.

Gynaecologist - a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect a woman's reproductive organs. A gynaecologist can also treat some bladder control problems, including overactive bladder.

Incontinence - see urge incontinence and urinary incontinence.

Kidneys - the pair of bean-shaped organs in the abdomen that filter out waste products from the blood and make urine.

Nocturia - waking 2 or more times at night to pass urine.

Overactive bladder - a chronic medical condition in which a large muscle in the bladder wall (the detrusor) is too active, causing a strong and sudden urge to urinate even when the bladder is not full. In addition to urgency, symptoms include urinary frequency and wetting accidents.

Pelvic floor - the muscles and ligaments at the base of the abdomen that support the uterus, bladder, urethra and rectum.

Pelvic floor exercises - a form of bladder training which aims to strengthen the pelvic floor and thereby improve bladder control.

Prostate gland - a gland found only in men that secretes substances into the semen; the prostate surrounds the urethra just below the bladder.

Sphincter - a ring of muscle around a natural opening or passage that acts like a valve, controlling inflow or outflow.

Stress incontinence - a medical condition in which urine leaks when a person coughs, sneezes, laughs, exercises, lifts heavy objects or does anything that puts pressure on the bladder, often due to weak muscles in the pelvic floor.

Symptoms - any feeling of illness or physical or mental change which is caused by a particular disorder or disease.

Ureters - a pair of thin tubes that carry urine downward from the kidneys to the bladder.

Urethra - a thin tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

Urge incontinence - accidental loss of urine that occurs after the strong, sudden urge to urinate.

Urinary incontinence - a condition in which a person is unable to hold urine and prevent its leakage.

Urinary tract - body system that makes, stores and releases urine; it includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.

Urinary tract injection (UTI) - an infection in one or more parts of the urinary system that occurs as a result of bacteria growing in the urinary tract, not everyone with a UTI develops symptoms, but when they do occur, symptoms develop suddenly and include a burning sensation while urinating.

Urinate - to void or discharge urine.

Urination - the discharge or passage of urine.

Urine - a liquid made up of water and waste products removed from the blood by kidneys; urine is stored in the bladder and exits the body through the urethra.

Urogynaecologist - a doctor who specializes in women’s bladder and urine problems and other conditions of the urinary and reproductive systems.

Urologist - a doctor who specialises in bladder and urine problems and other conditions or the urinary system.

Voiding - urinating; sometimes also called "peeing" or "passing water".