Q: What is urine syncope? Is it a dangerous disease? What can we do to prevent or avoid it and what are the tests we can do to find out the reason of this problem?

A:Feeling of weakness, sweating or collapse, or any vasomotor symptoms during the act of passing urine is called urine syncope. Classically, it happens when the bladder wall contains some mass, like neuroendocrine tumours. These secrete vasomotor substances when the urinary bladder contracts, to raise blood pressure to cause such an episode. It could be mimicked by other benign or not so benign conditions. A person may have similar feelings in all conditions, which cause a fall in blood pressure when standing for passing urine, as may happen in any status of dehydration or with some blood pressure medications. A clinical history, whether such episodes happen all the time or only at particular time of the day, thorough examination including blood pressure measurements when lying down and standing, urine examination and ultrasound examination would be done at the first screening. It will be followed by other detailed investigations, if needed.