What happens if you hold your urine for too long?
Apr 23, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Li Mingchuan
Introduction
Holding urine for a prolonged period may cause lower abdominal pain, urinary retention, and bladder abnormalities. Extended urine retention can lead to an enlarged bladder capacity, resulting in hyperplasia of bladder muscle fibers. This in turn causes trabeculation and diverticula formation within the bladder, leading to abnormal bladder function. In severe cases, chronic urine retention may result in cystitis. Besides these complications, long-term urine retention might also contribute to uremia.
Holding urine for a prolonged period may lead to lower abdominal pain, urinary retention, and bladder abnormalities. The details are as follows:
1. Lower Abdominal Pain
If urine is held for a long time, the bladder may experience intense distension, which can stretch the local bladder muscles, causing discomfort such as bloating and pain. Therefore, it is not recommended to hold urine for extended periods.
2. Urinary Retention
Bladder muscles function similarly to springs, normally possessing a certain elasticity. However, prolonged urine retention can reduce the elasticity of the bladder muscles, leading to difficulty in urination during normal voiding and resulting in urinary retention.
3. Bladder Abnormalities
Long-term urine retention can cause the bladder to expand chronically, leading to fibrous proliferation of the bladder muscle. This may result in the formation of trabeculae and diverticula within the bladder, causing structural abnormalities. In severe cases, chronic urine holding may even lead to cystitis (bladder inflammation).
In addition to the above, prolonged urine retention may also contribute to uremia and, in extreme cases, may threaten life and overall health. Therefore, it is strongly advised against holding urine for long periods. When feeling the urge to urinate, one should promptly empty the bladder to avoid adverse effects.
