Urology Retention: Why Can't You Empty Your Bladder?

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If your bladder stays full, even after you use the bathroom multiple times a day, visit a urology health center soon. You may suffer from a problem called urinary retention. Urinary retention occurs when you can't empty or release all of your urine during bathroom breaks. The condition can cause a number of issues for you, including bladder pain. Learn more about urinary retention and why you should seek help from a urology health center for it below.  

What's Urinary Retention?

You may expect your bladder to empty all of its contents every time you use the bathroom. But if your bladder doesn't work properly, it can't release all of the urine in it. Your bladder develops a problem called urinary retention.

Urinary retention generally occurs when the muscles in the bladder and/or pelvic floor become weak, loose, or flaccid. The muscles lose the ability to push out or expel all of the bladder's contents over time. Blockages, such as bladder stones and infections, can also prevent the bladder from expelling all of the urine from it. Rather than emptying all the way, your bladder only releases small amounts of urine at a time.

Urinary retention can cause abdominal and pelvic pain over time. The bladder itself may become sore and inflamed. Some people may dribble small amounts of urine during the day or night as well. 

You can't treat urinary retention at home. However, you can find the treatment you need for your urinary problems from a urology health center. 

What Can a Urinary Health Center Do?

A urology health center will run urine and blood tests on you during your visit. A urology center can use the tests to see if you have stones or infectious material in your bladder. Bladder stones and bacteria can make your urine appear dark and cloudy over time. 

If your urine and blood tests return negative for stones and infection, a urology center will perform a cystoscopy or a urodynamic test on you. A cystoscopy allows a center to examine the condition and location of your bladder via a small camera. A urodynamic test measures the amount of urine your bladder retains between bathroom breaks. 

If either of the tests above reveals signs of stones, infection, or something else in your bladder, a health center will do the following for you:

  • Drain your bladder of its contents
  • Remove stones from your bladder
  • Treat your bladder with antibiotics

You may require additional services or treatments to improve your condition as well. A professional will go over your treatment options with you during your exam and visit.

Learn why you retain urine after you use the bathroom by contacting a urology health center today.  

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7 September 2022

learning how to tend to sick and injured kids

My name is Dan and this is my blog. I am a recently singled father of three that is learning everything about caring for my kids as I go along. Before my wife passed, she was the one that took care of the kids when they were sick or injured, so I had a lot of learning to do and I had to do it as quickly as possible. I got together with some of the parents from my kids' school and they helped out quite a bit. I created my blog for two reasons - to keep my facts straight and to help other parents learn what I have struggled to learn.