There are times when you may need to hold your urine because you are travelling, in a meeting, stuck in traffic or unable to find a toilet.
Contents
It can affect your bladder muscles
It may increase the risk of urinary tract infections
It can make bladder control more difficult
It may increase the risk of kidney stones in some people
While this may happen occasionally, constantly ignoring the urge to urinate is not a habit you should encourage. Your bladder is designed to store urine temporarily and empty it when you use the toilet.
In this article, Tribune Online highlights five reasons you should not hold your urine for too long.
It can affect your bladder muscles
Your bladder is a muscular organ that expands as it fills with urine and contracts when you urinate. Regularly holding urine can put extra strain on the bladder and, over time, may weaken its muscles.
This can make it harder for the bladder to empty properly. When the bladder does not empty completely, some urine can remain inside after urination.
It may increase the risk of urinary tract infections
Regularly delaying urination may increase the risk of urinary tract infections in some people.
Bacteria can multiply when urine remains in the urinary tract, particularly when the bladder does not empty properly.
A urinary tract infection may cause a burning sensation when urinating, frequent urination, an urgent need to urinate or lower abdominal discomfort.
It can make bladder control more difficult
Repeatedly ignoring the urge to urinate can interfere with normal bladder function. Over time, some people may develop problems with bladder control or difficulty recognising normal signals from the bladder.
Urinary problems can have several causes, however, so persistent changes in urination should be discussed with a healthcare professional rather than blamed solely on holding urine.
It may increase the risk of kidney stones in some people
Holding urine for long periods may be a concern for people who are already prone to kidney stones, particularly those whose urine contains high levels of stone-forming minerals.
Urine naturally contains substances such as calcium and uric acid.
When these substances become highly concentrated, they can form crystals that may develop into kidney stones.
People with a previous history of kidney stones should therefore avoid making prolonged urine-holding a regular habit and should maintain adequate fluid intake.
Cc: Nigerian Tribune