Effects of Lack of Innervation

Bladder Continence

Bladder and bowel function are controlled by sacral nerves:

Usual bladder emptying: when the bladder is full receptors sense this and signal it to the brain; when a person is ready to urinate motor nerves coordinate the contraction of the bladder with the relaxation of the sphincters.

Spina Bifida: a person with spina bifida will usually have nerve damage impairing the bladder and/or sphincters. There are three situations which may occur:

Bowel Continence:
Nerve damage generally affects three areas of the bowel:
· the external anal sphincter
=> limited control over when the bowel will empty
· the sensory mechanism which tells the brain that the rectum is full
=> not knowing when it is time to go to the toilet
· the muscles which move the faeces along the colon and out of the body
=> constipation

Skin Innervation:
Damaged and improperly developed nerves in people with spina bifida mean they may have little or no sensation in some areas of the skin, usually the areas corresponding with a loss of movement.

• Pressure sores: skin is pressed between bones and a hard surface, depriving the tissue of blood, oxygen and nutrients, leading cells to die. If there is a problem with the supply of blood to an area, the brain usually sends a message to the body to change position so that the cells will once again receive a proper blood supply. A person with spina bifida has areas of skin which do not have any feeling and often have partial or complete paralysis, and so does not receive these messages.
• Burns: sunburn, wheelchair left in sun, holding hot food on your lap etc. People with spina bifida have poor circulation so the skin is often not as strong, and will burn more easily than usual
• Scrapes: will take longer to heal due to poor circulation and poor nerve supply