Bladder header image

Bladder

From the first symptoms through to hard-to-treat bladder conditions, we offer fast access to leading bladder specialists. Check your symptoms and discover the tests and treatments available.

Access world-class care

Birmingham Prostate Clinic is part of GenesisCare, the UK’s leading independent provider of cancer care. Together, our consultants provide a complete pathway to expert care for cancer and benign conditions at a range of private hospitals in the West Midlands and the wider UK.

Bladder problems

Bladder problems can interfere with your everyday life. Frequent trips to the bathroom aren’t just annoying – they make it hard to leave home, go to work, socialise, or even just get a good night’s sleep. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to see a specialist.

How common are bladder problems?

Millions of people around the world have bladder problems. They’re more common as we get older and affect women more often than men. But anyone can have bladder problems, no matter their age or sex.

What are signs of a bladder problem?

Common bladder symptoms include:

Needing to urinate often or urgently, including at night
Feeling like you need to urinate straight after you’ve just been
Pain or a burning sensation when urinating
Urine that looks cloudy, dark coloured or bloody
A slow or stop-start stream of urine
Leaking urine
Losing control of your bladder

It’s tempting to brush off the symptoms as a normal part of getting older. But they’re not normal, nor should you have to put up with them, whether they’re a minor inconvenience or significantly impacting your day-to-day life.

Birmingham Prostate Clinic are a team of leading urologists and oncologists, who specialise in diagnosing and treating prostate, bladder and kidney conditions.

Our consultants are experts in all kinds of problems within the urinary system, for men and women alike. We can help you find a solution so you can go out and live your life as usual.

Worried about your bladder?

If you’re having any trouble with your bladder, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Our expert consultants are here with specialist advice and access to tests and treatments to help.

Book an appointment

Common bladder conditions

Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is one of the top ten common cancers in the UK. The first warning sign is usually blood in the urine.

Bladder cancer can affect anyone, but the main risk factor is smoking. Men are also at a higher risk – 3 in 4 of all cases occur in men. Getting older also increases the risk, and most cases are diagnosed in people older than 75.

The good news is that bladder cancer is often caught early, which is when it’s easiest to treat. The majority of people are still alive 10 years after a diagnosis, but it’s important to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is when you lose control of your bladder. It’s around two to three times more common in women than men.

There are a few different kinds of incontinence:

Stress incontinence – when your bladder leaks when you cough, laugh, jump, or do anything that puts it under pressure
Urge incontinence – when your bladder leaks suddenly, just as you feel the urge to pee

You can also have a mixture of both types. Incontinence can also happen at night, and can range from a leak to a total loss of control.

Bladder infections

Bladder infections are usually treatable and nothing serious. They’re the most common type of urinary tract infection (UTI).

An infection is usually caused when bacteria gets into the urinary tract. This leads to frequent, urgent and often painful bathroom trips.

Anyone can get a UTI, but they’re far more common in women. They usually clear up quickly with a course of antibiotics, but some people are prone to recurrent UTIs that keep coming back.

Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis, also called painful bladder syndrome, is a long-term bladder condition. It causes the bladder lining to become painful and inflamed.

This might feel like:

Pain or pressure in the bladder
A dull ache or an intense burning feeling
A frequent urge to urinate

Interstitial cystitis usually occurs in women. It’s often misdiagnosed as a UTI because it shares a lot of symptoms. While there’s no cure, treatment can make a big difference in your quality of life.

How are bladder problems diagnosed?

There are a number of tests and scans that can help find the cause of bladder problems. Our consultants have extensive experience diagnosing bladder problems of all kinds.

Book an appointment to discuss your symptoms with an expert. They can help put you on the right pathway to diagnosis and treatment.

You can also read up on the common tests and scans for bladder problems below.

Icon for Ultrasound scan

Ultrasound

Icon for Cystoscopy

Cystoscopy

Icon for Blood and urine tests

Blood and urine tests

Icon for MRI scan

MRI scan

Icon for CT scan

CT scan

Bladder treatments

Our consultants are experienced in a range of treatments for common bladder conditions, including CBT, surgery, biotherapy and neuromodulation, Botox injections and TVT mesh removal. Book an appointment to discuss your treatment options.

Alternatively, lean about common treatments for bladder cancer below.

Icon for Radiotherapy for cancer

Radiotherapy

Icon for Chemotherapy and cancer drugs

Chemotherapy