Holding your urine for extended periods can be uncomfortable and may put you at increased risk for urinary tract infections, but it isn't likely to damage your prostate or hamper your sexual performance.
Although holding your pee can be relatively safe for those with a healthy urinary tract and system, it can be detrimental for those living with existing health conditions. In fact, having the following health conditions and holding your urine for long periods can result in kidney disease: Having an enlarged prostate.
Holding your urine for extremely long periods of time can also cause urinary tract infections due to bacteria build-up. In addition, it can increase your risk of kidney disease and in rare cases even risk your bladder bursting—a condition that can be deadly.
Contraction of the pelvic muscles is related to a disturbed urinary flow [8]; relaxation of these muscles is better achieved by urinating in a sitting position and by supporting the feet in a comfortable position [39]–[41].
It can help ease pressure and swelling by releasing fluids that build up in the prostate. Small studies have found that massaging the area several times a week -- along with taking antibiotics -- can give relief from pain and pressure. Sometimes a doctor might do a prostate massage during a prostate exam.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:
having a weak flow of urine. "stop-start" peeing. needing to pee urgently and/or frequently. needing to get up frequently in the night to pee.
An enlarged prostate does not impair the ability to ejaculate. However, some of the therapies used for management of urinary symptoms may cause ejaculatory dysfunction. Historically, BPH treatment starts with medications, including pills: Flomax, finasteride, dutasteride, Proscar, Avodart, etc.
Bladder training is an important form of behavior therapy that can be effective in treating urinary incontinence. The goals are to increase the amount of time between emptying your bladder and the amount of fluids your bladder can hold. It also can diminish leakage and the sense of urgency associated with the problem.
Holding it in for too long gives bacteria the chance to multiply and settle in the bladder, leading to infection. Holding urine can overstretch the bladder and lead to voiding dysfunction, which is a lack of coordination between the bladder muscle and the urethra.
Nerves in the bladder wall detect the expansion and send a signal to the brain, letting it know that the bladder is full. The urinary bladder can store up to 500 ml of urine in women and 700 ml in men.
The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknown. Factors linked to aging and changes in the cells of the testicles may have a role in the growth of the gland, as well as testosterone levels. Men who have had their testicles removed at a young age (for example, as a result of testicular cancer) do not develop BPH.
Nocturia has several possible causes, from drinking too much fluid before going to bed to having an enlarged prostate (benign prostate hyperplasia - BPH). The following are known to cause the condition: Drinking too much fluid before bedtime (especially alcohol and caffeine).
There is very little evidence that prostate massage is an effective therapy for prostatitis, enlarged prostate, or other health conditions that affect the prostate. Some people use them as a part of sexual activity.
“Usually I recommend that you empty your bladder every three hours, whether you have the urge to go or not,” says Nazia Bandukwala, D.O., a urologist at Piedmont. “It's important to do that so you're not retaining too much urine in your bladder.”
What's normal and how many times is too frequent to urinate? Most people pee about seven to eight times per day, on average. If you feel the need to pee much more than that, or if you're getting up every hour or 30 minutes to go, you might be frequently urinating.
In most cases, holding it for a short time when you feel the urge to go is not going to be harmful. However, holding pee for a long period of time and ignoring the urge to go might increase the risk of certain problems, such as urinary tract infections.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
These medicines shrink the prostate. They do this by preventing hormone changes that cause the prostate to grow. Examples include finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart). They might take up to six months to work well and can cause sexual side effects.
Exercise that is good for your heart is also good for prostate and sexual health. Do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, like swimming, biking, speed walking, or hiking on most days of the week. You can also add in strength training exercises like working with free weights or weight machines on alternating days.
Alpha blockers relax the muscle in your prostate gland and at the base of your bladder, making it easier to pee. Commonly used alpha blockers are tamsulosin and alfuzosin.