What happens when urine stays in the bladder too long?

Holding your urine for too long can weaken the bladder muscles over time. This can lead to problems such as incontinence and not being able to fully empty your bladder. Holding your urine for extremely long periods of time can also cause urinary tract infections due to bacteria build-up.


What happens if urine stays in the bladder?

With urinary retention, your urine doesn't completely flow out, which allows the normally harmless bacteria a chance to multiply and infect your urinary tract. Serious problems can occur if the infection spreads to your kidneys.

What happens if urinary retention is not treated?

Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately. If left untreated, it may lead to: Sweating. Anxiety.


When is urinary retention an emergency?

If you or someone you know are unable to urinate, are experiencing severe bladder, groin, or abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, or profuse sweating, seek emergency medical attention by contacting us by phone, visiting the Urology Austin office nearest you, a local hospital or free-standing emergency room.

What are the signs and symptoms of urinary retention?

Chronic urinary retention
  • the inability to completely empty your bladder when urinating.
  • frequent urination in small amounts.
  • difficulty starting the flow of urine, called hesitancy.
  • a slow urine stream.
  • the urgent need to urinate, but with little success.
  • feeling the need to urinate after finishing urination.


How to Fix Urination Frequency at Night (Nocturia) for Good



What organ causes urinary retention?

The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of your body. In men, a blockage can be caused when the prostate gland gets so big that it presses on the urethra. This is the most common cause of chronic urinary retention in men. One cause in women is a bladder that sags.

What is the most common cause of urinary retention?

The most common cause of urinary retention is benign prostatic hyperplasia. Other common causes include prostatitis, cystitis, urethritis, and vulvovaginitis; receiving medications in the anticholinergic and alpha-adrenergic agonist classes; and cortical, spinal, or peripheral nerve lesions.

Can you be hospitalized for urinary retention?

Urinary retention may cause harm to the function of the bladder and the kidneys, incontinence, and may increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Thus, it requires urgent medical attention for evaluation and management. In some cases, hospitalization is required.


How do doctors fix urinary retention?

Draining the bladder

With acute urinary retention, a health care professional will immediately drain the urine from your bladder using a catheter. Removing the urine from the bladder eases your pain and helps prevent your bladder and kidneys from being damaged.

How can I empty my bladder without a catheter?

Leaning forward (and rocking) may promote urination. After you have finished passing urine, squeeze the pelvic floor to try to completely empty. not to promote bladder muscle instability with overuse of this technique. Tapping over the bladder may assist in triggering a contraction in some people.

Does urinary retention get worse over time?

Urinary retention can be a short-term or long-term problem and can occur suddenly (acute) or get worse over time (chronic). If urine stays in your bladder, it can lead to urinary incontinence (leaking urine between wees) and urinary tract infections.


How much urine can the bladder hold?

Urinary bladder and urethra

The urinary bladder can store up to 500 ml of urine in women and 700 ml in men. People already feel the need to urinate (pee) when their bladder has between 200 and 350 ml of urine in it.

Does Flomax help urinary retention?

Flomax is part of a drug class called alpha-blockers. These drugs work by relaxing smooth muscles in the prostate and bladder neck to let urine flow more freely. Flomax, or another alpha-blocker, is usually the first drug prescribed for men with mild to moderate urinary symptoms from BPH.

Is urinary retention related to kidney failure?

Signs and symptoms of acute kidney failure may include: Decreased urine output, although occasionally urine output remains normal. Fluid retention, causing swelling in your legs, ankles or feet.


Is emptying your bladder good?

Why is it important to empty your bladder? Emptying your bladder fully every 3-4 hours will reduce the likelihood of developing urinary tract infections, cystitis and protect your kidneys from damage. If your bladder fails to empty and goes into retention, the bladder muscle can become overstretched and can be damaged.

Can water leave your bladder?

Excess water leaves your body through urination and feces but is also excreted by sweating. Your body uses water for many of its daily processes, and since it passes through your body so quickly, it's important to stay hydrated.

How does urinary retention get diagnosed?

Health care professionals use your medical history, a physical exam, and a postvoid residual urine measurement to diagnose urinary retention. Your health care professional may also order lab and other diagnostic tests to help find the cause of your urinary retention.


Why do I feel like I have to pee after I already peed?

A urinary tract infection (UTI)

Besides frequent urination, signs of a UTI include fever, a burning feeling when you pee, discolored urine and constantly feeling like you need to pee (even after peeing). You may also feel bladder pressure or discomfort in your back or around your pelvis.

What happens if you come while wearing a catheter?

Having a catheter in place should not affect an erection or ejaculation.

How much urine can the bladder hold before it is in danger of rupturing?

A healthy bladder can hold about 2 cups of urine before it's considered full. It takes your body 9 to 10 hours to produce 2 cups of urine. That's about as long as you can wait and still be in the safe zone without the possibility of damaging your organs.


Is urinary retention a disability?

Loss of bladder control is a serious disorder that may impact your ability to work. If you have bladder control problems, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits.

Can stress and anxiety cause urinary retention?

People with anxiety disorders can experience a range of symptoms and side effects, even physical ones. More frequent symptoms include a pounding or rapid heartbeat, unexplained aches and pains, dizziness, and shortness of breath, but anxiety can also cause less common side effects like urinary retention.

How do you know if your urethra is blocked?

Symptoms
  1. Pain.
  2. Changes in how much urine you produce (urine output)
  3. Difficulty urinating.
  4. Blood in the urine.
  5. Urinary tract infections.
  6. High blood pressure (hypertension)


Can heart failure cause urinary retention?

Decompensation of stable chronic heart failure is common and debilitating. Urinary retention has not previously been described as a precipitating cause of decompensated heart failure. We present a series of case reports arguing that urinary retention is a common but unrecognised cause of decompensated heart failure.

Can lack of water cause urinary retention?

Certain types and locations of tumors, certain medications, being dehydrated, or having constipation can also cause urinary retention.
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