Whether it’s during a long road trip, a busy day at work, or whatever the cause may be, we’ve all held our bladders long enough to where we begin to experience significant discomfort.  While this seems like an inconsequential action that is inevitable for many, there are repercussions to holding your bladder for too long that can lead to more serious complications, including long-term bladder damage, infections, and in some rare cases, kidney failure.

Your kidneys are producing urine and emptying into your bladder throughout the day. The average adult female bladder can store up to a little more than two cups of urine, while men can hold about three cups. However, most people will begin to feel the urge to urinate before their bladders are completely full. When this happens, nerves send a signal to the brain, which induces the urge to urinate. It is important to not ignore these signals and empty the bladder completely. It is important to note that due to the normal aging process, those over the age of 50 years old have weakened bladder and pelvic floor muscles – leading to a decrease in bladder control and an increase in bladder leakage, which is known as urinary incontinence. 

Holding your bladder can lead to infections, such as urinary tract infections

The most common infection that individuals experience by not emptying their bladders frequently is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), which happens when bacteria enters the bladder through the urethra. The longer that urine is in the bladder, the greater amount of bacteria will multiply. According to the Mayo Clinic, women are at higher risk of UTIs than men due to their shorter urethra and also due to hormonal changes that occur with menopause.

UTIs can occur in different tracts of the bladder. Typically, individuals will get lower urinary tract infections which refer to infections of the bladder and urethra. More rarely, the upper tract can be infected if bacteria spreads to the kidneys. If left untreated, there is a chance UTIs can become a serious medical condition that can cause permanent damage to the kidneys. In extreme cases, the infection can spread into the bloodstream, causing sepsis.

While not an infection, not emptying your bladder can cause long term dysfunction

Many don’t realize that consistent urine retention, or not emptying the bladder, can cause changes to the structure of their bladder. Bladder hypertrophy is the most common, and occurs when the bladder walls grow and thicken from having to stretch and retain too much urine. In addition to bladder changes, the pelvic floor can also experience alterations from not urinating. The pelvic floor is made up of multiple muscles and the function of these muscles can impact urination, defecation and having comfortable intercourse. Holding urination can impact how the muscles function, namely their ability to relax. In order to empty the bladder completely, the pelvic floor muscles need to relax. If they are constantly in a state of tension – which happens when the bladder is full – this can greatly impact the ability to relax and cause dysfunction in the pelvic floor.

Not going to the bathroom enough can also lead to a loss of bladder control, or incontinence. There are two types of incontinence that can occur. Urge incontinence will be prevalent when the smooth muscles in the bladder wall become stressed due to excess pressure in the bladder,  resulting in squeezing without awareness. Stress incontinence refers to bladder leakage during certain physical movements, such as sneezing, laughing or exercise. This happens when abnormal pressure is placed on the bladder (such as when laughing or sneezing), and due to  weak pelvic floor muscles, which then provides less support to the urethra, leading to leakage of urine. While this may not seem like such a nuisance, incontinence has been proven to greatly disrupt daily life when left untreated. In fact, a recent survey from Aeroflow Urology found 67% of women have had to miss out on daily activities because of their incontinence.

How to avoid keeping your bladder full

The greatest action that individuals can do is to listen to their body. When the urge to relieve the bladder comes on, don’t hesitate to head to a bathroom. Listening to the body also means not forcing the bladder muscles. Relaxing the pelvic floor muscles and not pushing to urinate can greatly improve their function and decrease chances of damage. Lingering in the bathroom can also hinder the body’s ability to empty the bladder completely. The longer a person is seated on the toilet, the longer the body thinks it needs to empty the bladder.

Drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy diet can go a long way to protect the bladder, and help regulate the body efficiently. Limiting bladder irritants, such as coffee, alcohol, and carbonated beverages can limit bothersome urinary symptoms that result from the bladder lining getting stressed. Some people also find that spicy foods and citrus fruits can be irritating, as well.  Of course, should an individual continue to experience any bladder problems, it is always best to consult a healthcare provider to help alleviate any growing concerns.