Anatomy

Kidneys and bladder

The kidneys process fluids, maintain blood pressure, acidity and mineral levels, help produce red blood cells and clean the blood. The bladder takes the kidney's waste and holds it until you are ready to go to the toilet

Muscles

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports the bladder and bowel and helps maintain continence. Sphincter muscles help control the opening and closing of the urethra, which leads from the bladder and carries urine out of the body

Sacral nerves

The brain tells the bladder and bowel what to do by sending electrical signals to the muscles in the pelvic floor, the sphincters, the urethra as well as the bladder and rectal area

The ureters carry a constant trickle of urine from the kidneys to the bladder