The urinary bladder is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that forms part of the urinary system. The bladder’s role is to store urine until a person is ready to use the restroom.

The adult bladder can hold as much as half a liter (2 cups) of pee before you’ll feel the need to ‘go’. It is good to note that, the bladder wall is filled with tiny receptors that send a message to your brain when the bladder reaches capacity. But at this stage, when the bladder is full, some people decide to hold the pee for a long period of time which to an extent is not good;

Side effects of holding urine for long;

URINE

1. Holding urine for long can be Painful

Constantly ignoring the pee urge causes a lot of discomfort to the bladder and also the kidney. Equally, when you hold pee for long and get to urinate, during this process, some people experience a lot of pain when urinating. Holding urine for long can also cause pelvic cramps which is not very good.

2. Holding urine for long can cause Urinary tract infection

Holding urine for long causes bacteria’s to actually multiply in your system which can lead to a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

Some Symptoms of a UTI can include:

It is important to note that, people who do not drink enough liquids can also develop a UTI, because the bladder is not telling the body to pee often enough. Which cause bacteria’s to easily spread through the urinary tract, leading to infection.

3. Holding Urine for long can cause Kidney stones

Pee often contains minerals such as uric acid and calcium oxalate. Holding in pee may cause kidney stones to form in people with a history of the condition or in those who have a high mineral content in their urine.

4. Holding Urine for long can cause bladder stretching

Regularly holding pee can cause the bladder to stretch, making it difficult or impossible for the bladder to contract and release pee normally.

The following tips can help an individual make it to the toilet in time:
  • Cross the legs while standing so that it compresses the urethra which will give you time to get to the rest room.
  • Pass gas, note that leaving gas in the stomach will add pressure on your bladder
  • Pee right after waking up from bed, because of busy schedules some people forget to pee. So it is important urinate as you wake up.
  • Plan for regular bathroom breaks so that you can respect your urinary system. Do not wait till you are feeling the urge to ease yourself.