Neurogenic bladder and urinary incontinence following spinal cord injury — what studies are looking for.
These studies are recruiting through partner research networks. We may be paid a referral fee if you complete their screening form — this never changes what you pay (nothing) or the compensation the study offers you.
This study is enrolling adults in the United States who have been diagnosed with urinary incontinence caused by a spinal cord injury. The study team confirms eligibility and any compensation before enrollment.
Screening is free and takes a few minutes. Eligibility and any compensation are confirmed by the study team, not by this site.
Bladder dysfunction after a spinal cord injury is close to universal, and it is consistently ranked by people living with SCI as one of the changes with the greatest effect on daily life. The clinical term is neurogenic bladder: the nerve signalling between bladder and brain is disrupted, and normal control is lost.
Studies are enrolling US adults diagnosed with urinary incontinence caused by a spinal cord injury. This page covers what that means in practice for eligibility, and how to find what is recruiting near you.
The criterion is specific: urinary incontinence caused by a spinal cord injury. Both halves matter. Incontinence from other causes — age-related, post-surgical, post-partum — is a different research area with its own studies. And an SCI without bladder involvement is not what these protocols are recruiting for.
Beyond that, individual protocols vary in what they require: level and completeness of injury, time elapsed since injury, current bladder management method (intermittent catheterisation, indwelling catheter, reflex voiding), and what treatments have already been tried. Those details are worked through on the screening call rather than on the form.
Because SCI is a comparatively small population, recruitment tends to be national rather than concentrated in a few sites, and studies often accept participants across a wide travel radius.
Surveys of people living with spinal cord injury consistently place bladder and bowel function among the highest recovery priorities — in several studies rated above walking. That reflects how much daily routine, autonomy and health risk are bound up in it.
The health stakes are real too: neurogenic bladder carries elevated risk of recurrent urinary tract infections and, over the long term, kidney damage if pressures are not managed. Research in this area is aimed both at continence and at protecting the upper urinary tract.
An initial form confirms the SCI-related incontinence diagnosis. A coordinator then calls to go through injury history, current bladder management, medications and prior treatments. If a protocol looks like a fit, an in-person assessment follows — often including urodynamic testing, which measures bladder pressure and capacity.
Accessibility is a fair question to raise early. Research sites recruiting for SCI studies are generally set up for wheelchair access and accessible transport, and many reimburse travel costs, but confirming specifics for your situation on the first call is sensible.
Screening is free, and compensation for time and travel is set by each protocol and disclosed in writing before enrollment. US studies generally pay $75 to $4,500 per completed study depending on visit count and procedures.
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It can. Some protocols specify injury level or completeness, others do not. Since it varies by study, the screening call is where it gets established — the initial form generally only checks that the incontinence is SCI-related.
Often yes. Intermittent catheterisation is the most common bladder management method after spinal cord injury, and protocols are usually designed around that reality. Some studies specify a particular management method as a criterion, so it is asked about early.
Not for these studies. The criterion is specifically urinary incontinence caused by a spinal cord injury. Incontinence from other causes is researched separately, with its own enrolling studies.
Sites recruiting for spinal cord injury studies are generally equipped for wheelchair access, and many reimburse accessible transport costs. Specifics vary by site, so it is worth confirming what you need on the first call with the coordinator.
Enrolling across the United States — the largest metros are listed first
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