You have probably heard or even experienced the sleep procrastination or exercise procrastination. However, there is yet another very similar “condition” and it is called bathroom procrastination. It often happens to find ourselves in a situation when we have to put off our peeing and there can be a lot of reasons for it. We may be just trying to avoid the public restroom or we may find ourselves in a place where there is no restroom at all. We talked to Benjamin Benjamin Brucker, MD, assistant professor of urology and NYU Langone Medical Center in order to find out what actually happens with our body and how dangerous this situation can be.
How long it is “acceptable” to hold on?
The body`s physical capacity to keep the urine and delay the urination depends on several things. In general, women can hold the urine for 3-6 hours but this can vary. It mainly depends on the amount of urine a person makes and it is determined by fluid intake and hydration status. Another thing it depends on is the capacity of the functional bladder which is combination of the bladder sensitivity and its actual size. However, there are many things which need a further research and as Brucker puts it: “The truth of the matter is normal urination in women across the lifespan is not as well understood as it should be.”
Should you pee at each twinge?
There is a whole range of the “I have to pee” sensation. It ranges to a small twinge to a feeling that is quite painful and you need to cross your legs in order to hold it. Brucker explains that you don’t need to urinate at each twinge you feel but you definitely cannot hold it to the point where it is painful and unbearable. Furthermore, a healthy voiding habit should be created. As he says: ” That translates into finding a middle ground that doesn’t have you running to the bathroom every time you take a sip of water but also doesn’t result in you bent over with cramp-like sensations”.
What is the worst-case scenario?
Any specific complications are not still not well understood and explained but if you hold in your urine for too long your risk to develop some urinary tract infections, which can be treated with antibiotics. If diagnosed with the some urinary tract infection you may feel the urge to pee more often than normal and it can lead to some unpleasant conditions such as painful bladder syndrome and overactive bladder. You need to consult your doctor and get checked out immediately if you feel the need to pee more often than normal. The painful bladder syndrome can be treated with physical therapy and medication while the overactive bladder can be improved with kegels and medications.
Is it possible to train yourself to pee less?
It is a well-known fact that we need to drink at least 2 liters of water throughout the day in order to stay hydrated but this has an annoying side effect- the needing to pee very often. Is it possible to train your body to pee less and hold on? Brucker explains this in the following way: “Some people’s bladders are quite sensitive, and they will have the sensation to void even with the smallest amount of urine in the bladder. It’s okay to try to distract yourself and not give in to every slight urge”. This may stretch your bladder in a way but you shouldn’t expect any major change and side effects. As Brucker puts it: “The bottom line is that you probably aren’t going to do any real damage to yourself by holding it in. Just for comfort’s sake, you should hit the bathroom when it starts to feel annoying. After all, there aren’t many other things that can bring on that same sense of relief”.
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