Voiding Disorder

Voiding disorders is a description for any urinary problem involving the storage and removal of urine, and can be due to a variety of causes. Some symptoms overlap with other urogynaecological disorders, such as urinary frequency, painful urination (dysuria), blood in the urine (haematuria).

But, most frequently, it pertains to difficulty in initiating urine flow or in maintaining the flow rate, and is called urinary hesitancy. Many older women have some degree of difficulty in starting urination, dribbling, or decreased force of the urinary stream especially those with pelvic organ prolapse. Other causes for hesitancy include UTI (especially in chronic and recurrent UTI), certain neurological problems, medications, previous surgery for continence, and shy bladder syndrome (paruresis) in a younger population.

Treatment of urinary hesitancy depends on the underlying cause discovered , and treatment should be targeted to the cause. In certain situations, medications may aid the bladder to contract more optimally aiding in emptying of stale urine. In blockages at the urethra, a surgical procedure may be required to relieve obstruction.