Is It Bad to Hold Your Pee?
You know that holding your pee can be uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful if you push it too long. But can holding your pee have consequences for your health? And is there any such thing as holding it too long (or not long enough)? Get the answers you need in this quick guide.
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How Long Can You Hold Your Pee?
How often you get the urge to urinate varies from individual to individual, depending on fluid intake, bladder sensitivity, and more. Most women can go between three and six hours without needing to urinate, but again, that varies depending on the situation. If you down four cups of coffee in quick succession, you might not be able to wait three hours before you use the bathroom. Likewise, if you’re not drinking a whole lot of water and your bladder isn’t particularly sensitive, you might be able to make it the full six hours without needing to use the restroom.
Most adult bladders can hold 16 ounces, or two cups, of urine. Usually, your body begins giving you the signal to urinate when your bladder is about half full. However, some people’s bodies are more sensitive, and may become triggered with the urge to urinate even when there is a lower volume of urine present. Again, this is dependent on sensitivity, fluid intake, and other factors. What’s frequent urination for someone else may be normal urination for you.
What Is Considered Frequent Urination?
If you can go extremely long periods without using the restroom, then you might actually be dehydrated, causing your body to create less urine than it would normally. Holding your urine for too long can also put you at a slightly higher risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs). While urinating can sometimes be an inconvenience, it’s super important to keeping our bodies in balance, so don’t hold back on drinking water because you’re afraid you might have to use the bathroom in a few hours.
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What If I Can’t Hold My Pee?
Some people have the opposite problem, where they get the urge to urinate more frequently than once every few hours. If this happens to you, the first thing to check is how much fluid you’re drinking and how often. If you’re chugging liters of coffee every day, that’s probably why you have to urinate so much. Try switching to beverages that aren’t diuretics and watch the volume of fluid you are consuming. Taking frequent, small sips instead of infrequent, large swigs will also help your body absorb the liquid more slowly.
Certain physical conditions, such as a UTI or an irritated bladder, can also trigger a more frequent urge to urinate. In most cases, clearing up the underlying condition will also help reduce the urge to urinate frequently. If reducing your fluid intake doesn’t help, then you should see your doctor to determine if your inability to hold it is caused by another health problem.
In some cases, the inability to hold your urine is caused by either anxiety or urge incontinence. Getting the urge to urinate before the occasional anxiety-inducing situation (such as a job interview) is normal, but it can really take over some people’s lives — to the point where they urinate compulsively all throughout the day. Other individuals get the overwhelming urge to urinate, even if their bladders aren’t full, which is a condition called urge incontinence. With this condition, most doctors recommend bladder training in order to help people learn how to overcome the urge to urinate when they don’t actually need to. So in this case, holding your urine is actually a good thing! Your doctor will help you devise the best course of treatment for your condition.
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Is It Bad to Hold Your Pee?
Holding your urine isn’t always bad, and, in some cases, it can actually be a good thing. In most cases, as long as holding your urine doesn’t cause you pain or discomfort, you’re probably fine. If you’re concerned about the frequency of your urination, talk to your doctor to determine what’s normal for you. If you are struggling with involuntary urination, you can use incontinence products for women to keep yourself comfortable and dry while you wait for your bladder training to take effect. Don’t want to go to the store to shop for incontinence products? Order more than $40 of products from Sofia & Grace and get free shipping straight to your home!
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