Urologists Explain What Actually Happens When You Hold Your Pee for Too Long

It’s something we’ve all experienced. You have the “urge to go,” but hold off using the bathroom because you may be busy doing something important, or aren’t in a location where there’s a bathroom nearby.

Holding it in can be uncomfortable, but can it actually be bad for your health? We asked doctors to weigh in. Here's what they had to say.

Related: A Urogynecologist Is Begging You to Break This Super-Common Peeing Habit ASAP

Potential Problems Caused by Waiting to Pee

A range of issues have been associated with delayed urination, doctors say. “There are multiple consequences of holding urine and letting the bladder become too full,” says South Florida board-certified gynecologist oncologist Dr. Jonathan Black, MD. “These include weakening or deconditioning of the bladder muscles leading to increased difficulty voiding or even voiding too frequently. Holding the urine too long can also cause the ureters, which connect the kidneys to the bladder, to become dilated, which could cause pain. There is an increased risk of urinary tract infections when you hold your urine for too long as well.”

The risk of infection may be connected to the germs that may be found in the fluid that’s contained in your bladder. “We used to think urine was sterile, but now we know there’s a microbiome in urine,” says Dr. Bilal Chughtai, MD, a urologist at Weill Cornell Medicine. So it’s possible that as you get older, maybe more bacteria will be in the urine itself, which can then invade the bladder wall, leading to urinary tract infections.”

Chughtai adds that if you ignore the urge to urinate, you’re going to get pain and discomfort, and that can sometimes result in the pelvic muscles getting contracted and going into a spasm. This could possibly lead to issues such as pelvic floor dysfunction.

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How Often Should You Go to the Bathroom?

People may hold off on using the bathroom if they are going too frequently—and while frequent urination can sometimes be a symptom of a possible health issue, Chughtai notes that there’s not necessarily one standard of the ideal daily urination frequency or schedule, because everyone is different. “Someone who drinks a gallon of water a day is going to go to the bathroom pretty frequently because they’re producing a lot of urine.”

Black suggests listening to what your body is telling you. “Generally speaking, you should void when you have the urge to go. There is no set time and every person is different, so using the urge as a guide is the most helpful.”

Related: A Urogynecologist Is Begging You to Stop Doing This One Super-Common Thing When You Pee

When To Consult Your Doctor About Peeing Too Often

Since everyone’s typical urination routine is different, Chughtai says the important thing is to be conscious of anything that’s unusual for you or issues that develop suddenly. “The bottom line is that whenever it comes to bladder health, those are things you should bring to the attention of your doctor.”

Black says there are numerous health conditions that may cause frequent urination. “Overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, overuse of caffeine or alcohol, nerve issues and excessive hydration are common reasons one might have urinary frequency, or voiding very often. Less common are pelvic masses, neurological conditions, radiation exposure or some medications.”

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Related: Can a Urinary Tract Infection Cause Lower Back Pain?

Sources:

• Jonathan Black, MD, South Florida board-certified gynecologist oncologist

• Dr. Bilal Chughtai, MD, Urologist at Weill Cornell Medicine