Here’s What Happens If You Hold In Pee For Too Long

1. Discomfort

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If you hold your pee in for too long too often, you'll probably experience lots of discomfort and pressure in your bladder.  This can become increasingly painful and can affect your day-to-day activities, reducing your ability to do as much as you used to.

2. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

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There is a good chance that you will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) if you hold your urine in for too long.  This is because it is likely to cause a buildup of bacteria in your urinary tract which is usually responsible for making you develop a UTI.  Some symptoms of this include pain and discomfort and a stinging sensation when you pee.

3. Kidney Stones

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Holding your urine for too long can also put you at a significantly increased risk of developing kidney stones.  This is because when urine stays in your urinary tract for too long, it can increase the concentration of minerals in your urine which may lead to the formation of kidney stones.

4. Bladder Damage

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Unfortunately, holding in your pee for too long can not only cause health problems but it can cause some significant damage to your bladder too this can lead to weakened muscles, and a reduced bladder capacity and may even result in incontinence in more severe cases.

5. Urinary Retention

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The problems that your bladder faces as a result of holding urine for too long in your system can be really devastating and long-lasting.  Another issue you might be at more risk of developing is urinary retention which is a condition that causes the bladder to lose its ability to fully empty.

6. Burst Bladder

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In very rare cases, holding in your urine for too long can actually cause your bladder to burst.  This is very rare and is a life-threatening condition that would need immediate medical attention if it happened.  But, luckily it is more unlikely that you would be able to hold your pee in for this long.

7. Bladder Infections

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Bladder infections can also occur due to a build-up of bacteria caused by holding urine.  Like with any infection, symptoms can include pain and discomfort, as well as feeling generally unwell, achy and tired.  You might also experience cloudy, foul-smelling pee and the need to pee more often.

8. Decreased Concentration

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If you really need to urinate, this can really affect your ability to concentrate.  This is because it will inevitably cause a distraction which reduces your concentration levels and this can really affect your performance and productivity in your day-to-day activities, including work.

9. Anxiety

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When you hold your urine in for too long, this can also affect your mood significantly.  And you may experience noticeably increased levels of anxiety, particularly if you're worried about having an accident, or generally anxious about peeing because you might feel some discomfort.

10. Increased Risk of Bladder Cancer

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Another health condition that has the potential to develop is bladder cancer.  This has been said to be in rare cases, but research has found that holding in your pee for too long and too often has been found to increase your risk of developing bladder cancer.

11. Reduced Kidney Function

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Holding in your urine for too long can affect every part of your urinary tract including your kidneys.  Medical professionals have found that kidney function and effectiveness might become significantly reduced, with the potential to develop kidney or upper urinary tract infections

12. Abdominal Pain

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As the bladder becomes more and more stretched you may experience pain and discomfort in your abdomen which can cause you to be less productive than usual.  You might also feel significant pain and discomfort if you have developed an infection like a UTI or bladder infection.

13. Urethral Damage

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Your urethra is the tube that allows urine to leave your bladder and your body.  And holding in your urine for too long can really damage your urethra and cause you pain.  If you have damaged your urethra, you might be unable to urinate or if you can urinate, it might be painful and contain blood.

14. Leakage

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When you experience damage to your bladder, your muscles tend to be much weaker than before and this can cause you to lose the ability to actually hold in urine in the end.  In the worst-case scenario, you could become incontinent and experience frequent leakage of urine.

15. Nighttime Urination

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If you become incontinent or experience any kind of leakage due to weakened bladder muscles or pelvic floor dysfunction, you might experience waking up in the night to pee, or waking up and finding that you have already peed.  This can be distressing but be sure to consult a medical professional if you're worried or distressed.

16. Overactive Bladder

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You might be feeling frequent urges to urinate for a number of reasons after holding in your urine for too long.  Certain infections can cause you to experience a sudden urge to urinate but holding in your pee can also cause you to develop n overactive bladder that leads to more frequent urges to pee which can affect your everyday tasks.

17. Hematuria

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If you have hematuria, this means that there's blood present in your urine and this may be caused by the extra pressure on your bladder or damage to your urethra.  UTIs are the most common cause of hematuria and can usually be easily treated.  But sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious so it's important to get checked out if you're worried.

18. Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

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Your pelvic floor refers to the muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and uterus, and holding in your urine can significantly weaken these, causing pelvic floor dysfunction.  This can also lead to frequent and sudden urges to pee, the reduced ability to hold urine, and even incontinence.

19. Erectile Dysfunction in Men

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Holding in urine for too long can affect men as well as women and has been found to potentially cause erectile dysfunction.  This is because holding pee puts pressure on the nerves and blood vessels responsible for maintaining an erection and can really damage them.

20. Fatigue

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If you often hold in your urine for too long and ignore the urge to pee too often, you might experience lots of fatigue.  And the reason for this is that needing to pee, especially at night, can really disrupt your sleep patterns and when these are significantly affected, these can impact your energy levels.

21. Decreased Productivity

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With reduced concentration levels, you'll find that you struggle to focus on anything and this can really affect your everyday activities.  And not being able to concentrate, can really affect your ability to get anything done, so you might find work and other day-to-day tasks much harder to finish.

22. Vaginal Prolapse

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In severe cases in women, holding in urine for too long can be really damaging and may cause vaginal prolapse.  Vaginal prolapse is a condition where the organs in the pelvis begin to press against the vaginal wall and can feel like a dragging discomfort inside your vagina.

23. Social Isolation

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If you're feeling the health issues caused by holding in urine, and your mental health is suffering, you might begin to feel socially isolated.  And if you are experiencing incontinence, you might intentionally isolate yourself because you are experiencing shame or embarrassment.

24. Increased Risk of Falls

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With a lack of concentration, you will probably be feeling extremely distracted all the time and this might make you feel unaware of your surroundings.  This can put you at an increased risk of experiencing a trip or fall because you fail to concentrate on your spatial awareness.

25. Increased Stress

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The pain, pressure, and discomfort you might be feeling because of holding in your urine could contribute to increased stress levels.  There might be an increased sense of urgency all the time and your stress levels might increase even more if you're worried about any potential accidents.

26. Frequent Accidents

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You might experience accidents quite frequently if you are suffering from any health issues as a result of holding in your pee for too long and too often.  Unfortunately, accidents may happen because you have a reduced ability to hold your pee so in more severe cases, you might experience incontinence.

27. Urinary Urgency

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Sometimes, you might experience a really strong and sudden urge to pee, and this can be incredibly worrying if you are not near a restroom.  This might cause stress and anxiety and might cause you to avoid leaving your house and you might avoid any social situations.

28. Mood Swings

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Mood swings are unfortunately quite common in people that frequently hold in their urine.  This is because the pain and discomfort, as well as the sudden urge to pee and worries about potential accidents, can cause you quite a lot of stress and anxiety.

29. Reduced mobility

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Holding your pee can also really reduce your mobility because of the discomfort and pressure that is placed on your bladder.  It can be really uncomfortable to move, especially if you're suffering from any of the health conditions that potentially develop.

30. Reduced Quality of Life

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Holding in your pee can really reduce your quality of life.  There's decreased mobility, health problems, pain and discomfort, and even mood swings you might experience.  And on top of all of that, there's the social isolation and the shame and embarrassment of becoming incontinent that you might have to contend with.  But it is important to remember that you should seek medical help if you do experience any of these issues.  Don't suffer in silence.