The urinary tract system is designed to produce, deposit and carry urine with the help of two kidneys, two ureters, two sphincter muscles, a bladder and a urethra. It is a vital part of the human anatomy because it eliminates waste products out of the system preventing the body from developing toxic infections.

The urinary tract system is responsible for keeping the blood clean by extracting urea – a type of waste that bodies produce from the aliments that contain protein – from the bloodstream and moving it to the kidneys. Located just below the rib cage, the kidneys are important elements in the mechanism of keeping the body clean. If they are not functioning correctly, the urea will remain in the bloodstream causing vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness and mental confusion – all signs of renal failure. When the kidneys are healthy and working properly, all of the urea will go through them. Combined with water and other waste substances, it will form urine. The kidneys are also very important in producing hormones like rennin (a hormone that helps balancing the blood pressure) and erythropoietin (which takes part in red blood cell production).
The ureters are a quarter of a meter long tubes that lead to the bladder. Their function is to carry the urine from the kidneys and releasing it into the bladder in small amounts every 10-15 seconds. When it’s full, the brain receives signals that the bladder needs to relax its muscles and permit the urine to pass into the urethra. In case of a healthy urinary tract, the bladder can comfortably hold approximately two cups of urine for five hours. The urethra, the final component of the urinary tract, releases the urine out of the body. In a man’s anatomy, the urethra stretches through the penis until it reaches its tip. A woman has a much shorter urethra, ending at the opening of the vagina.
Problems related to the urinary tract system such as a urinary infection can turn fatal if they are not treated properly. Pelvic surgery, childbirth, menopause, diabetes, diuretic medication or decreased mobility can all turn into risk factors causing urinary tract system incontinence or infection. But all those conditions can be prevented. On the other hand, aging, the harmful factor of them all, can’t be stopped or treated. As the human body ages the sphincter muscles lose their elasticity, the nervous system stars communicating poorly with the bladder and the ureters and urethra become less effective. The sphincters that help keep urine from leaking uncommanded will be at fault for urinary tract incontinence which can have a dramatic impact on the quality of a patient’s life. All these inconveniences translate into infections that could spread to the internal organs.
What you need to remember about the urinary tract is that it’s a system designed to filter and eliminate specific waste products and fluids from your body. Frequently disorders are kidney failure, prostate enlargement, bladder control problems and kidney stones. If you need to see a professional for treatment of a urinary tract problem, visit a urologist, a gynecologist, a urogynecologist or a nephrologist.