What are the ureters: description, functions, diseases

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What are the ureters: description, functions, diseases
What are the ureters: description, functions, diseases
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The structure of the ureter is as follows: external and internal muscle tissue, vessels and epithelium, covered with a mucous membrane. With the help of vessels, the organ itself is nourished, as well as the layer of the epithelium. The ureter is located in three sections: abdominal, pelvic, distal. It performs an important function.

Definition: what is the ureter in biology

In the human body, the ureters play an important role and are an integral paired organ of the reproductive system. Their main function is to connect the kidneys and bladder. Simply put, the ureter is a kind of tube with a diameter of 6-8 millimeters and a length of 25-30 centimeters.

Paired organ
Paired organ

To understand what the ureters are, it is enough to imagine a medical catheter designed to collect urine. This is what this body looks like, to put it simply.

There are three natural narrowings in the ureter - this is the exit from the pelvis, at the beginning of the small pelvis and in the bladder wall. Urine moves through the ureter due to contractions of cystoids. Bodies workcontrolled by the autonomic nervous system. Calcium has a great influence on the functioning of the ureters. The strength of contraction depends on how much it is contained in muscles and tissues.

Where are the ureters located

In males and females, they are located differently. In women, they go around the uterus and are located behind the ovaries, in the space between the bladder and the vagina. In males, the ureter passes on top of the seminal ducts. The area farthest from the kidneys is the distal. It is located in the wall of the bladder, and its length is one and a half to two centimeters.

Ureters in males are longer than in females, by about two to three millimeters. But the right ureter in all people is slightly smaller than the left. This is because the right kidney is more developed and active.

Congenital diseases of the paired organ

Recently, problems with the urogenital area are very common. The ureters are no exception. Diseases are congenital and acquired. The former include pathologies in which the shape, structure and location of the ureters are disturbed. Accordingly, they occur during pregnancy. The presence or absence of signs of pathology directly depends on its severity.

The most common symptoms are lower back pain or any urinary incontinence. What are ureters? These are tubes that can be difficult to move through, causing pain or trouble passing urine. For examination, general tests, ultrasound of the genitourinary system, excretoryurography, cystogram, and MRI. Congenital pathologies are treated only by surgery.

pain symptom
pain symptom

Acquired diseases

Such ailments include stones and, as a result, inflammatory diseases of the ureters. They arise due to injuries received from the movement of s alts. If the pathological process is not treated, it will easily pass to other organs.

If there is acute inflammation, then the main symptom is renal colic, severe, unbearable pain in the lower back and abdomen. It occurs due to the movement of stones. Also, with inflammation of the ureters, the color and smell of urine change, body temperature rises, and constant fatigue is felt.

Stones in the kidneys
Stones in the kidneys

As a prevention of diseases of the genitourinary organs, you can cook and regularly drink cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks. It is also useful to take infusions of brewed berry leaves.

We found out what the ureters are, how they are arranged and what functions they perform. It remains to be said that the most important thing in the prevention of diseases of the urinary system is not to get cold, not to eat a lot of s alty and spicy foods and, of course, not to neglect unpleasant symptoms and not self-medicate, but go to the doctor and undergo the necessary treatment.

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