The most common causes of bladder problems are tumors, infections, bladder stones, and old age. Incontinence, or involuntary urination, is a common ailment for older people--especially women--because the sphincter muscles that surround the urethra become gradually weaker with age. Most sufferers can be helped, but because there are different kinds of incontinence, it is important to have a doctor investigate the cause. Many drugs can contribute to the problem, so be sure to tell your doctor about any prescription or over-the-counter medication you are taking.

Bladder tumors occur most frequently in men and women over 50 and can be either benign or malignant; the main symptom is blood in the urine, without pain, although tumors located near the urethra can make it difficult to urinate. Bladder stones are usually bigger than kidney stones and therefore more difficult to pass; they cause a need to urinate frequently, painful urination, and blood in the urine. Medical treatment is required for tumors or stones.

In men over 50, the prostate gland typically enlarges, squeezing the urethra and thereby obstructing the flow of urine from the bladder. Usual symptoms are difficulty when beginning to urinate, frequent urination, waking during the night to urinate (nocturia), and dribbling a little urine after you have stopped. Cancer of the prostate is common in old age and may cause symptoms similar to those that occur with enlarged prostate. Cystitis, an infection of the bladder, is much more common in women than in men. This is because the female urethra-- the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body-- is only a few inches long, giving undesirable bacteria easy entry into the bladder.