Is it a crime to get so busy that taking a piss feels so tasking? Immediately you feel it coming, even if your hands are too occupied – that tiring trip to the restroom will do you a lot of good. You do not have to “pee later” or wait till you are through with what you are doing.
In situations like waiting for an Uber or getting stuck in traffic with no restrooms close by, some will rather pollute the environment with urine to avoid holding it in. But you are not like them, right? So, learning to hold in your urine is equally necessary. However, ignoring the urge to urinate when you ought – at the right places – may increase the risks of certain side effects conditions or diseases.
It is necessary to note that the human body differs from person to person. So, if someone can boast of a healthy urinary system (which we can’t be so sure of ), occasionally holding urine for long may not be dangerous. But in some instances, it may be harmful – and it is vital to take precautions.
Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t hold your urine for long.
- Pain
When you hold in urine for a while, you place an extra burden on the bladder muscles, and this causes pain. This pain occurs because the muscles clench to keep in the increasing amount of urine, so there is no leak. Sometimes, even after ridding your bladder of urine, the muscles may stay clenched and only relax after a while, prolonging the pain.
2. Kidney Stones
If you’ve had kidney stones or you know someone who has – you’ll understand that symptomatic kidney stones is better not experienced. Kidney stones form when waste products in the blood crystalize and develop. Scientists have not identified the exact cause of kidney yet. However, studies have shown they are more likely to occur when you don’t take enough liquid, hold in urine too much and some dietary factors. Some kidney stones may be small enough to be passed out through urine, although painfully, while some may require surgery to remove them.
Symptoms of kidney stones include:
- Persistent aches in the lower back
- Nausea
- Painful urination
- Bloody urine
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do well to seek medical attention.
3. Urinary Tract Infections
The singular act of holding your pee does not simply make you contract a Urinary Tract Infection. The urine contains several components. When you hold in your pee for long, it gives these bacteria room to multiply.
Symptoms of UTIs include;
- Pelvic pain
- Persistent urge to empty yourself
- Blood in urine
- Dark-colored urine
- Strong-smelling urine
- burning sensation while urinating
UTIs are very painful. Once contacted, it may keep recurring. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do well to seek medical attention.
4. Stretched bladder
The bladder is an elastic organ that can expand and return to its normal size – like a rubber band. The strain on the bladder for long periods causes it to stretch together with the surrounding muscles. This strain may cause the bladder to lose its elasticity, resulting in a stretched bladder. In severe cases, a patient may need a catheter to be able to pass out urine.
5. Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence is damage to pelvic floor muscles. As said earlier, when the bladder stretches, the surrounding muscles (including pelvic floor muscles) also stretch. Prolonged stretching can weaken these muscles causing incontinence. The pelvic floor muscles run between the legs, from the pubic bone anteriorly to the base of the spine. They are sling-shaped and hold all the pelvic organs, the bladder inclusive. One of these muscles is the urethral sphincter, which keeps the urethra closed to prevent you from leaking. If this muscle is damaged, even with a reaction like sneezing or cough comes a little bit of urine leak, and the patient constantly feels the urge to wee.
6. Urine retention
Urine retention is a health condition where a person finds it difficult to pass urine (chronic) or empty the bladder (acute). This is caused by harmless and cancerous lumps, like tumors or tissue buildup from conditions like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). However, holding urine for long is also one of the risk factors for urine retention.
7. Burst Bladder
A burst bladder? Right, but this is rare and the most unlikely to happen (one can guess why it is least on this list). What is more likely to occur is incontinence or a stretched bladder. However, if the bladder ruptures, urine spreads into the abdomen, causing complications. Such a situation will require urgent surgery.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to reduce your water intake to avoid an ugly urine situation. Please, drink water! Lots of it. Asides from the various benefits of water, it helps keep the kidneys and urinary system healthy. If you need to hold your urine, please do – but do not make it a daily habit and don’t hold the urine for long.
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