Holding Your Pee? This Is How Your Body Reacts On It
Everyone must hold their urine sometimes, whether its because a bathroom isn’t readily available or because you are in the middle of a meeting at work. Although holding your pee is generally harmless when done for short periods of time, if you continue to engage in this practice there could be a number of consequences.
What are the Dangers of Holding your Urine?
Most individuals have the ability to hold approximately 15 ounces of liquid in their bladder. Given that the average water consumption per day is eight glasses or 64 ounces, holding your urine for an extended period of time can stretch your bladder and ultimately inhibit your body’s ability to signal your brain when you need to relieve yourself. This is not the only danger of holding your urine too long. Over time, your bladder may create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria growth, which can lead to infection.
A typical individual will urinate between eight and ten times per day. Often, if an individual is holding in their urine, they will not drink as much water to decrease the number of times they will need to use the restroom. This could lead to further complications such as constipation, dehydration, and an overall lack of well-being. Listen to your body when it tells you that it needs to go!
What Types of Diseases Could Holding your Urine Lead to?
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – This bacterial infection can occur from holding your urine too long and affects the area that stores and releases urine. When bacteria enters the urethra, it eventually moves to the bladder and may even spread to the kidneys. Symptoms of a UTI include urine that is cloudy or bloody, the frequent urge to urinate, and a low fever.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) – This condition is caused by a bacterial infection which leads to inflammation of the bladder. Symptoms of an IC include pain in the pelvis and significant trips to the bathroom resulting in urinating over sixty times in one day. While there is no cure for interstitial cystitis, there are a number of treatments to help relieve the pain.
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Kidney Failure – This medical condition is caused when your kidneys fail to filter toxins and waste from the blood and may be the result of an infection caused by holding your urine. Symptoms of kidney failure include bruises, bloody stool, and change in mood. Kidney failure requires medical attention where doctors will flush out toxins to restore function. Dialysis or even a transplant may be needed if the infection is severe.
Kidney Stones – Another condition that can form from holding your urine is kidney stones, which are solid crystals formed in the kidney. Many individuals do not know they have kidney stones until they have painful urination which is bloody and may be accompanied by nausea. Depending on how big the kidney stone is, hospitalization and treatment may be required although most eventually pass on their own.
Impact of Children Holding their Urine
When children first learn to use the toilet, they often try holding their urine longer for various reasons. They could be worried that they will get in trouble if they have an accident or may see it as a game to hold in their urine. This could lead to some serious side affections including abnormal voiding and voiding dysfunction. This phenomenon causes an increase in the bladder wall thickness and strained muscles involving the bladder and sphincter. To help prevent this, children should be able to access a bathroom frequently and allowed enough time to fully empty their bladder.
Your body and brain know when you have to pee so don’t ignore the signals or you will be faced with the consequences. Controlling your urge to urinate for a short amount of time will do no harm, but make sure you head to the loo when you reach the point where you just can’t hold it anymore.
