The causes of urinary retention are related to either a blockage that partially or fully prevents urine from leaving your bladder or urethra, or your bladder not being able to maintain a strong enough force to expel all the urine.
In women, urinary hesitancy may be due to female void dysfunction. The term covers all conditions that cause poor coordination between the urethra and the bladder muscles. As a result, the muscles of the pelvic floor relax incompletely during urination.
Symptoms can include pain in the side, decreased or increased urine flow, and urinating at night. Symptoms are more common if the blockage is sudden and complete. Testing can include insertion of a urethral catheter, insertion of a viewing tube into the urethra, and imaging tests.
If you can't “get the flow” going when you feel you need to, and your bladder is full, you may have urinary retention. Urinary retention is the inability to pass urine in your bladder, and it can be acute—a sudden inability to urinate—or chronic—a gradual or slow inability to empty the bladder.
A healthy bladder works best if the body just relaxes so that the bladder muscles naturally contract to let the urine flow, rather than using the abdominal muscles to bear down as with a bowel movement. In men, the need to push urine may be a sign of bladder outlet obstruction, which is commonly due to BPH.
Acute urinary retention can cause severe pain and be life threatening. If you are suddenly unable to urinate, it's important that you seek emergency medical treatment right away.
Acute urinary retention, such as immediately after major surgery, will usually resolve by itself within a few days to weeks. Obstructive causes may not resolve without surgical relief of the obstruction.
Urinary retention is treatable, and there is no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed. A doctor can often diagnose the problem. However, in some cases, a person may need a referral to a urologist, proctologist, or pelvic floor specialist for further testing and treatment.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises, also called Kegel exercises, help the nerves and muscles that you use to empty your bladder work better. Physical therapy can help you gain control over your urinary retention symptoms.
Urinary retention occurs when you can't completely empty your bladder. It can cause damage to your bladder and kidneys. It can result from a blockage of the passage that lets urine out of your bladder (urethra), or a problem with how your bladder muscle works.
People with anxiety disorders can experience a range of symptoms and side effects, even physical ones. More frequent symptoms include a pounding or rapid heartbeat, unexplained aches and pains, dizziness, and shortness of breath, but anxiety can also cause less common side effects like urinary retention.
A split stream of urine is usually a sign of an issue with the bladder or the urethra. A split urine stream can also result from a condition called prostatitis. Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland in males. A split urinary stream can occur in both men and women but most commonly occurs among men.
Obstruction of the urethra causes urinary retention by blocking the normal urine ffow out of the body. Conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia—also called BPH—urethral stricture, urinary tract stones, cystocele, rectocele, constipation, and certain tumors and cancers can cause an obstruction.
In women, neurogenic bladder may be the cause of high voiding pressures resulting on split urine stream. Bladder stones, genital warts, urethral polyps or pelvic organ prolapse may also lead to a split urine stream.
Issues with weak urine flow will typically mean the bladder is not emptying properly. With BPH, this is because the enlarged prostate is blocking the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the penis.
The urinary sphincter must be relaxed for urine to flow from the bladder down the urethra. Anxiety about urinating overstimulates the person's nervous system and 'clamps' the sphincter shut.
Feeling concerned or getting emotional can make it even more difficult to start the flow of urine. These concerns can worsen your anxiety and cause you to tense up. Some situations are triggering to people with shy bladder.
A urinary tract infection (UTI)
Besides frequent urination, signs of a UTI include fever, a burning feeling when you pee, discolored urine and constantly feeling like you need to pee (even after peeing). You may also feel bladder pressure or discomfort in your back or around your pelvis.
Needing to urinate right after you've just gone is not only annoying but can be a sign of an underlying health problem. While this is commonly related to drinking a lot of water or taking medication, sometimes, it could mean something more serious like an infection or diabetes.
High blood pressure medicines, heart medicines, water pills, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, sedatives and antidepressants all can play a part in bladder control problems. If you can't hold your urine or can't urinate while taking these drugs, talk to your health care provider. Maintain a healthy weight.
Incomplete emptying of a bladder can affect people across all age groups and be a cause for pain, irritation, and embarrassment to the person. The medical term for the condition is 'Urinary Retention'. If not treated in time, the condition can lead to complications including kidney failure that can be fatal.
Treatment for Urinary Retention
For acute urinary retention, your doctor will place a catheter into your urethra to drain the bladder. Treatment for chronic urinary retention will depend on the root cause of the issue. To determine the root cause, your doctor may recommend: A physical exam.
If you or someone you know are unable to urinate, are experiencing severe bladder, groin, or abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, or profuse sweating, seek emergency medical attention by contacting us by phone, visiting the Urology Austin office nearest you, a local hospital or free-standing emergency room.