It could be a urinary tract infection or kidney cancer.
Reversal News Desk,
It can be held back occasionally. However, if you have the habit of holding back urine regularly, various health problems can arise.
One of them is urinary tract infections.
In a report published on CNN.com, Dr. Jason Kim, an associate professor at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York, warned about this, saying, “The act of urination is controlled by a complex nervous system.”
The director of the Women’s Pelvic Health and Continence Center at the university in the United States, explained, “The kidneys produce urine, which goes to the bladder through the urethra. The normal capacity of the bladder is 400 to 600 cubic centimeters.”
When the bladder is full, a signal to urinate is sent to the brain through the nerves. The brain tells the bladder to hold back until a socially appropriate situation is found. And when the right conditions are met, the brain signals the urethral sphincter muscle to relax and the bladder to contract, releasing urine.
“We’re actually designed to avoid peeing everywhere,” said Dr. David Shusterman, a urologist at NY Urology in New York City, in the same report. “This fluid is actually a concentrated waste product that the body wants to get rid of.”
However, if the contaminated material is not removed in time, it will cause harm.
Potential health risks
“Holding urine increases the risk of urinary tract infection,” says Orlando Health urologist Dr. Jamin Brahmabhat.
He explains, “Just as urinating releases toxins, holding it in creates an environment for bacteria to grow.”
For this reason, everyone, especially women, is advised to urinate after sex to protect the urethra from any kind of infection.
“If urinary tract infections are not treated properly, they can lead to various kidney diseases. If the disease progresses, blood can also be seen in the urine,” says Dr. Kim.
In addition, the habit of holding urine in can weaken the bladder muscles. Due to which the bladder cannot be completely emptied. As a result, the risk of infection increases.
And the most dangerous stage can be kidney cancer.
What to do
The sooner you respond to nature’s call, the better – these experts opine.
A normal, healthy person can hold back their urine for a few hours a few times a week, depending on the situation. However, there is no point in putting unnecessary pressure on the bladder and kidneys regularly every week.
“Those who are older are more likely to get infections. As men age, the ‘prostate’ in men becomes larger, while women’s urethras become narrower. So the amount of urine flow decreases as they age,” says Dr. Shusterman.
Pregnant women should be more careful in this regard. They should not delay responding to nature’s call.
Those who have suffered from urinary tract infections at least once must be more careful.
Dr. Shusterman also advises, “Smoking or working in a polluted environment increases the risk of kidney cancer. It is important for such people to respond to nature’s call regularly.”
If you have to hold back your urine to avoid the annoying urge to urinate, it could be a sign of overactive bladder syndrome, diabetes, or urinary tract infection.
In this case, you should consult a urologist immediately and get proper treatment.
