The bladder is one of the components of the urinary system and it is responsible for temporarily holding urine until the receptors in it signal the brain that it is full and should be emptied. The bladder often sends signals to the brain that it is time to urinate even when it is only a quarter of the way full but when it becomes full, the muscles around it would contract to keep urine from leaking out until one is ready to urinate....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
According to scientists, the bladder is designed to hold about two cups of urine, but it can sometimes stretch to accommodate more than this volume. However, allowing the bladder to stretch to accommodate more urine is dangerous and could lead to some health complications. But, we can’t help holding our urine sometimes, especially when the time is not right.
It could be that we are busy at work or we are in a public space with no restroom in sight. All these may invariably cause a person to hold his/her urine and expose the bladder to unhealthy stretching. While there is no generally accepted rule on how long we are supposed to hold our urine, it is worth noting that it is not a healthy thing or habit to often engage in as it could open up the urinary system to certain health challenges.
A few of the possible negative effects of holding urine for long are briefly discussed below:
1. Pain
According to data and studies, people who have cultivated the habit of constantly holding their urine are at risk of having pain or discomfort in the bladder or kidneys. The problem does not stop there as such people may also realise that urinating is painful when they eventually do the needful. Apart from that, there could also be pelvic cramps as a result of the clenching of muscles even after urination.
2. Urinary tract infection
Another reason why you should often hit the bathroom to urinate as soon as you feel the urge is because holding in your urine for long may lead to urinary tract infection, especially when bacteria in urine multiply and spread through the urinary tract. It is a potentially serious issue with symptoms such as a burning or stinging feeling during urination, pain in the pelvis or lower abdomen, and a constant urge to empty the bladder, among others.
3. Bladder stretching
As.stated earlier, always holding your urine may lead to a situation where your bladder would become stretched and make it difficult for your bladder to contract and release urine normally. This is another potentially dangerous scenario that may require extra measures such as the use of a catheter to correct.
4. Damage to pelvic floor
Frequently holding your urine may also harm the muscles located in your pelvic muscles, especially the one that is known as the urethral sphincter, which is known to help keep the urethra closed to prevent leakage of urine. If this muscle becomes damaged, it may lead to incontinence, a situation whereby you have uncontrollable leakage of urine from your body.
5. Kidney stones
Holding in urine may also lead to a potentially painful kidney condition called kidney stones. This is especially so in people with a history of the condition or people whose urine has a high mineral content, especially minerals such as uric acid and calcium oxalate. Crystals may form and may move to other parts of the urinary tract and can cause severe pain among other symptoms.
Having considered the dangerous effects of holding in your urine, let us briefly consider certain foods that can help improve your urine input and generally help make your urinary system perform at its optimal level of performance. With that in mind, a few foods that can help you achieve better urinary health include nuts such as cashew, almonds, and peanuts.
Others include eggs; bread; lean proteins such as low-fat beef, chicken, turkey, and fish; whole grains such as oats and rice; pears; bananas; potatoes and yams; and green beans.
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