Whatis vesicoureteral reflux?Vesicoureteral reflux ("VUR")is a condition that causes some urine to flow in the wrong direction inside thebody.Allof the organs that handle urine are together called the "urinarytract" . Normally, urine that the kidneys make flows to the bladderthrough tubes called "ureters." Then, it flows from the bladder outof the body. But in people with VUR, some of the urine flows backward from thebladder through the ureters to the kidneys. This can happen in 1 or both of theureters.Thisproblem is most common in babies and young children. It often gets better orgoes away as the child gets older. But it can also happen in older children andin adults.Whatcauses VUR?VUR is caused by problems with the ureters or bladder. Usually,people are born with these problems. But the problems might not be found untilthe person is an adult. Other times, people who weren't born with VUR get itlater because of different conditions that affect the urinary tract.Whatare the symptoms of VUR?There are no symptoms. But some peopleget frequent urinary tract infections ("UTIs"). If you have a UTI,you might have symptoms such as pain or burning when you urinate and needing tourinate often.Whywould a doctor think I have VUR?Your doctor mightthink that you have VUR for different reasons, including:●Frequent UTIs – UTIs are usually caused by bacteria in thebladder or kidneys. If you get UTIs often, your doctor might want to test youfor VUR. If you have both conditions at the same time, infected urine couldflow backward to the kidney and cause damage.●Abnormal findings on an imaging test – People get imaging tests(which take pictures of the inside of the body) for different reasons. Thesetests include ultrasounds and MRIs. If some part of your urinary tract does notlook normal on 1 of these tests, your doctor might want to test you for VUR.●High blood pressure – High blood pressure is very common,especially in older people and people who are overweight. It usually hasnothing to do with VUR, but in a few people, the 2 conditions are related. Ifyour doctor thinks that your high blood pressure is not caused by the usualproblems, they might want to test you for VUR.●Kidney disease – Some people with kidney disease also have VUR.Isthere a test for VUR?Yes, there is a test called a"voiding cystourethrogram" ("VCUG"). For this test, thedoctor puts a small, flexible tube inside your bladder. Next, the doctor fillsthe bladder with a special fluid that shows up on X-rays. You then urinatewhile X-rays are taken. The X-rays show if the urine is flowing the wrong way.Howis VUR treated?Treatments include:●Antibiotics – Your doctor might want you to take antibioticsevery day, but at a lower dose than if you really had an infection. Thesemedicines can help keep you from getting a UTI.●Surgery – Different kinds of surgery can stop the backflow ofurine from the bladder to the kidney.