What is urinary system

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What is urinary system

Posted On : Sep-23-2010 | seen (447) times | Article Word Count : 760 |

The aricle introduction to urinary system explains what is urinary system, what are the common causes of urinary system disorders and urinary bladder infections

Urinary System Introduction

Urinary system is composed of urinary tract with a pair of kidneys and ureter, a urinary bladder and a urethra through which urine passes out of body from time to time. During digestion and metabolism of food, as the nutrients and energy are used up, chemical waste products are produced in cells in liver and throughout body which must be removed as they would poison the cells if they are allowed to accumulate. The waste products are carried in your blood stream to your kidneys. In kidney they are filtered out of blood and in combination with water they are excreted as urine.
Your kidneys are situated behind your intestines, just above your waist, on either side of spine outside of your abdominal cavity. Each kidney contains more than 1 million tiny filtering units called ‘nephrons’, which hold back most of proteins and allow mineral salts and other by products to pass into tubule which reabsorbs essential nutrients like salt, water etc and secretes some waste products into urine. From kidneys, urine tickles down ureters to bladder. Just like all rivers end up in a sea, fluid circulating all over body gets collected in kidneys and ends up in bladder, having elastic, flexible walls which allow it to expand as it fills and then contract to expel urine when you urinate.
The structure of lower urinary tract is slightly different in men and women mainly because of differing anatomy. The male urethra is about 25cm long and provides an outlet for semen as well as urine. Woman’s urethra is about 25mm long and lies with bladder just in front of reproductive organs. Because it is close to anus and the entrance to vagina, woman’s urinary tract is more susceptible to infection (UTI).
There are no microorganisms in a healthy urinary tract and normal urine is sterile. The tract can become infected, however, and infectious agents, especially bacteria, can thrive there disrupting normal function and causing swelling and inflammation. Infection of kidneys is called as ‘pyelonephritis’ which can be acute or can be chronic, recurring over many years. Infection of bladder is called as ‘cystitis’ and that of urethra is known as ‘urethritis’. Sometimes swelling and inflammation of kidneys can occur without an infectious agent like for example, ‘glomerulonephritis’ in which glomeruli (minute filtering units of kidney) get inflamed.
Infection or inflammation of your kidneys or atherosclerosis involving small arteries inside kidney can cause scarring of filtering tissue and ultimately lead to kidney failure also known as ‘renal failure’ which may be acute when your kidneys suddenly stop functioning sometimes within few days or even in few hours, or it may be chronic which develops over years and insidiously interferes with your health. In end stage renal failure your kidneys function so poorly that they can no longer sustain life without assistance of artificial machine (dialysis treatment) or kidney transplant. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent cause of chronic renal failure. Profound anemia is a feature of end-stage renal failure as kidneys cease production of hormone erythropoietin that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture blood cells.
Injury to kidneys from a blow or wound is not common as they are protected by rib cage and fats and muscles of your back. Bladder also lies well protected within hip bones. The most likely cause of injury to kidneys or ureters is either a direct blow to side of body just under ribs such as that sustained in a football tackle, or a crushing force as in a vehicular accident. Another possible cause is penetration by knife or bullet. The ability of kidneys or ureters to heal themselves is remarkable. Even in case of a major tear or injury they almost repair themselves completely.
Injury to bladder generally results from a direct blow to your pelvis that fractures a pelvic bone and causes sharp pieces of fractured bone to pierce bladder wall or from a direct forceful blow to a full bladder. Any such rupture has usually serious consequences because it allows urine to leak into abdominal cavity. In men, any kind of impact on groin can lead to rupture of urethra. Injury to bladder or urethra usually needs hospitalization.
Pebble-like hard deposits called kidney stones (renal calculi) can form and move into outflow tract. These stones can cause extreme pain as they pass through ureters and can obstruct the flow of urine. Stones may also form in bladder (vesicular calculi) especially when there is poor bladder contraction. Also cysts and tumor may be formed in kidney but are relatively uncommon.

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<h1>What is urinary system</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Parry P.aspx'>Parry P</a> Urinary System Introduction

Urinary system is composed of urinary tract with a pair of kidneys and ureter, a urinary bladder and a urethra through which urine passes out of body from time to time. During digestion and metabolism of food, as the nutrients and energy are used up, chemical waste products are produced in cells in liver and throughout body which must be removed as they would poison the cells if they are allowed to accumulate. The waste products are carried in your blood stream to your kidneys. In kidney they are filtered out of blood and in combination with water they are excreted as urine.
Your kidneys are situated behind your intestines, just above your waist, on either side of spine outside of your abdominal cavity. Each kidney contains more than 1 million tiny filtering units called ‘nephrons’, which hold back most of proteins and allow mineral salts and other by products to pass into tubule which reabsorbs essential nutrients like salt, water etc and secretes some waste products into urine. From kidneys, urine tickles down ureters to bladder. Just like all rivers end up in a sea, fluid circulating all over body gets collected in kidneys and ends up in bladder, having elastic, flexible walls which allow it to expand as it fills and then contract to expel urine when you urinate.
The structure of lower urinary tract is slightly different in men and women mainly because of differing anatomy. The male urethra is about 25cm long and provides an outlet for semen as well as urine. Woman’s urethra is about 25mm long and lies with bladder just in front of reproductive organs. Because it is close to anus and the entrance to vagina, woman’s urinary tract is more susceptible to infection (UTI).
There are no microorganisms in a healthy urinary tract and normal urine is sterile. The tract can become infected, however, and infectious agents, especially bacteria, can thrive there disrupting normal function and causing swelling and inflammation. Infection of kidneys is called as ‘pyelonephritis’ which can be acute or can be chronic, recurring over many years. Infection of bladder is called as ‘cystitis’ and that of urethra is known as ‘urethritis’. Sometimes swelling and inflammation of kidneys can occur without an infectious agent like for example, ‘glomerulonephritis’ in which glomeruli (minute filtering units of kidney) get inflamed.
Infection or inflammation of your kidneys or atherosclerosis involving small arteries inside kidney can cause scarring of filtering tissue and ultimately lead to kidney failure also known as ‘renal failure’ which may be acute when your kidneys suddenly stop functioning sometimes within few days or even in few hours, or it may be chronic which develops over years and insidiously interferes with your health. In end stage renal failure your kidneys function so poorly that they can no longer sustain life without assistance of artificial machine (dialysis treatment) or kidney transplant. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent cause of chronic renal failure. Profound anemia is a feature of end-stage renal failure as kidneys cease production of hormone erythropoietin that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture blood cells.
Injury to kidneys from a blow or wound is not common as they are protected by rib cage and fats and muscles of your back. Bladder also lies well protected within hip bones. The most likely cause of injury to kidneys or ureters is either a direct blow to side of body just under ribs such as that sustained in a football tackle, or a crushing force as in a vehicular accident. Another possible cause is penetration by knife or bullet. The ability of kidneys or ureters to heal themselves is remarkable. Even in case of a major tear or injury they almost repair themselves completely.
Injury to bladder generally results from a direct blow to your pelvis that fractures a pelvic bone and causes sharp pieces of fractured bone to pierce bladder wall or from a direct forceful blow to a full bladder. Any such rupture has usually serious consequences because it allows urine to leak into abdominal cavity. In men, any kind of impact on groin can lead to rupture of urethra. Injury to bladder or urethra usually needs hospitalization.
Pebble-like hard deposits called kidney stones (renal calculi) can form and move into outflow tract. These stones can cause extreme pain as they pass through ureters and can obstruct the flow of urine. Stones may also form in bladder (vesicular calculi) especially when there is poor bladder contraction. Also cysts and tumor may be formed in kidney but are relatively uncommon.About the Author: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.holistichealth-guide.com/urinary-system-introduction.php">what is urinary system</a> 
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