Here's why you shouldn't hold your urine for long

Holding your urine for too long and regularly is not advisable at all. It can lead to many avoidable health conditions that can be a real pain.

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Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : February 26, 2020 7:26 PM IST

Many times, you may have been forced to hold your urine for some time. This may have happened while you were in surroundings where it was not possible for you to do otherwise. Or, maybe, it was just pure laziness. This is normal. In fact, many people hold their urine for some reason or the other. But is it healthy? Many experts say this this is not a very healthy thing to do. If this is a regular occurrence, it may put you at risk of many avoidable health complications. Let us take a look and see what can happen if you regularly hold your urine.

You may experience pain in your bladder or kidneys

This is very common in people who regularly hold their urine. You may suffer from pain while holding your urine. It may also be painful for you when you do finally pass urine. This happens because you use your pelvic muscles to hold your urine. You clench those muscles and when you release it, you experience cramps.

Urinary tract infection is a real danger

If you hold your pee for a long time, you may be at a higher risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). This is because there may be an overgrowth of bacteria. This is a very big reason why you shouldn't hold your urine for long.

It can make your bladder stretch

If this is a regular practice for you, it may stretch your bladder. This can lead to the problem of urinary incontinence. Sometimes, it may also be difficult for you to pass urine normally and you may need a catheter because your bladder muscles are too stretched.

It can cause injury to your pelvic floor muscles

If this happens, you will suffer from urinary incontinence. This is an embarrassing condition where you lose control of the muscles that help you hold your pee. But you can solve this with regular pelvic floor exercises like Kegels.

It can cause kidney stones

Your urine contains uric acid and calcium oxalate. If you hold your pee for too long and that too regularly, these minerals can lead to the formation of kidney stones, which as we all know is a painful condition.

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