Urinary System
The Urinary system, also known as the renal system, produces, stores and eliminates urine, the fluid waste excreted by the kidneys. The kidneys make urine by filtering wastes and extra water from blood. Urine travels from the kidneys through two thin tubes called ureters and fills the bladder. A person urinates through the urethra to eliminate the waste when the bladder is full.
The urinary system:
- is susceptible to a variety of infections and other problems, including blockages and injuries.
- works with the lungs, skin and intestines to maintain the balance of chemicals and water in the body.
- includes fluid lost through perspiration and breathing.
- can be affected by certain types of medications such as diuretics
The Kidneys:
- bean-shaped organs that are located just below the rib cage in the middle of the back
- remove urea – waste product formed by the breakdown of proteins – from the blood through small filtering units called nephrons
- urine travels from the kidneys down two thin tubes called ureters, to the bladder.
- Muscles in the uteter walls continuously tighten and relax to force urine away from the kidneys. A backup of urine can cause a kidney infection.
The Bladder:
- a hollow, balloon-shaped organ that is located in the pelvis.
- stores urine until the brain signals the bladder that the person is ready to empty it.
- can hold up to 16 ounces of urine comfortably for two to five hours
The only difference in the female and male urinary system is the length of the urethra.
Diseases of the Urinary System
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract
- affect the urethra, bladder, or kidneys
- more common in women
- typically treated with antibiotics
- Incontinence: in women; frequent urges to urinate and leakage of urine
- in men: frequent urination at nights and incomplete bladder emptying – usually due to an enlarged prostate causing obstruction
- Interstitial cystitis (IC): painful bladder syndrome; a chronic bladder condition, primarily in women, that causes bladder pressure and pain and, sometimes, pelvic pain to varying degrees.
- Can cause bladder scarring and make the bladder less elastic
- Prostatitis: swelling of the prostate gland, often caused by advanced age
- symptoms: urinary urgency and frequency, pelvic pain and pain during urination
- Kidney Stones:
- clumps of calcium oxalate that can be found anywhere in the urinary tract.
- form when chemicals in the urine become concentrated enough to form a solid mass
- can cause pain in the back and sides, as well as blood in the urine
- Kidney Failure:
- also called renal failure and chronic kidney disease
- results in the inability of the kidneys to filter waste from the blood.
- can be caused by other conditions such as diabetes and hypertension
- may require dialysis treatments or even a kidney transplant
- Bladder cancer:
- more frequent in men and the elderly
- symptoms include back or pelvic pain, difficulty urinating and urgent/and or frequent urination
Symptoms and their Emotions
- Bedwetting: Fear of parent, usually the father.
- Bladder problems: Anxiety. Holding on to old ideas. Fear of letting go. Being “pissed off”.
- Incontinence: Emotional overflow. Years of controlling emotions.
- Kidney problems: Criticism, disappointment, failure. Shame. Reacting like a child.
- Kidney stones: Lumps of undissolved anger.
- Urinary infections: Pissed off, usually at the opposite sex or a lover. Blaming others.
- Uterus: Represents the home of creativity.
- Vaginitis: Anger at a mate. Sexual guilt. Punishing the self.
Healthy ways to Heal:
