After a stroke or spinal cord injury, what may occur regarding bladder control?

After a stroke or spinal cord injury, what may occur regarding bladder control?

• A. No change
• B. Loss of bladder control
• C. Immediate bladder emptying
• D. Increased kidney filtration

Answer: (B)

Neurologic injury disrupts the pathways that coordinate bladder storage and voiding, so control over the bladder is impaired. After a stroke or spinal cord injury, this often leads to a neurogenic bladder with loss of voluntary bladder control, resulting in incontinence. While some injuries can cause retention or reflex emptying, the typical outcome described here is the inability to control the bladder. Other options don’t fit because such injuries do not leave bladder function unchanged, don’t universally cause immediate emptying, and don’t directly increase kidney filtration.

Neurologic injury disrupts the pathways that coordinate bladder storage and voiding, so control over the bladder is impaired. After a stroke or spinal cord injury, this often leads to a neurogenic bladder with loss of voluntary bladder control, resulting in incontinence. While some injuries can cause retention or reflex emptying, the typical outcome described here is the inability to control the bladder. Other options don’t fit because such injuries do not leave bladder function unchanged, don’t universally cause immediate emptying, and don’t directly increase kidney filtration.