Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Bladder Diseases
The bladder is a hollow organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Many conditions can affect your bladder. Some common ones are:
- Cystitis - inflammation of the bladder, often from an infection
- Urinary incontinence - loss of bladder control
- Overactive bladder - a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time
- Interstitial cystitis - a chronic problem that causes bladder pain and frequent, urgent urination
- Bladder cancer
Doctors diagnose bladder diseases using different tests. These include urine tests, x-rays, and an examination of the bladder wall with a scope called a cystoscope. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. It may include medicines and, in severe cases, surgery.
It sits within Kidneys and Urinary System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Bladder Diseases
3,773 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Targeted Therapy Directed by Genetic Testing in Treating Patients With Advanced Refractory Solid Tumors, Lymphomas, or Multiple Myeloma (The MATCH Screening Trial)National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Microfluidic Urinary Exosome-Based Diagnostic Model for Bladder CancerCancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
- Study of AU-007, A Monoclonal Antibody That Binds to IL-2 and Inhibits IL-2Rα Binding, in Patients With Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic CancerAulos Bioscience, Inc.
- Study Investigating Intravesical HDAC Inhibition to Improve Response to Immuno-Oncology AgentsH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
- Combining Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy to Help Patients Avoid Bladder Removal After Treatment Shrinks Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, BRIGHT TrialNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Study of AB598 Monotherapy and Combination Therapy in Participants With Advanced CancersArcus Biosciences, Inc.
Research already completed
- Gemcitabine, Carboplatin, and Lenalidomide for Treatment of Advanced/Metastatic Urothelial Cancer and Other Solid TumorsNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Effects of Antimuscarinic Drugs on Ejaculation Duration and Refractory Period in Men With Overactive BladderBaşakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital
- Comparison of Bladder Pressure Versus Regional Intestinal Tissue Oxygenation in InfantsUniversity Children's Hospital, Zurich
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Urinary Tract and How It WorksNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
- Cystoscopy and UreteroscopyNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)National Library of Medicine
- Pelvis UltrasoundRadiological Society of North America
- Urinary RetentionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Urinary Tract ImagingNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Urination ProblemsAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
Treatments and Therapies
- Urinary DiversionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Related Issues
- Urine ColorMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary Bladder DiseasesNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary Bladder, NeurogenicNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Urinary Bladder Diseases. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Bladder Diseases, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.