• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Wellness / General Health / What Happens To Your Body When You Hold Your Pee

What Happens To Your Body When You Hold Your Pee

what happens when you hold your pee

We get it. You’re busy. We’re busy, everybody’s busy. You have things to do, people to take care of and places to go. So sometimes we put ourselves last, including our bladders. But how healthy is it to hold your pee and not go to the bathroom when your bladder tells you to?

A healthy adult bladder can hold up to 16 ounces, or 2 cups, of urine. This is great news if you’ve only had one cup of coffee, but not so much if you find yourself on cup number three with no restroom in sight.

The bladder capacity for children under the age of 2 is about 4 ounces. For children older than 2, the capacity can be found by dividing their age by 2, then adding 6. For example, an 8-year-old child can typically hold 10 ounces of urine.

Most everyone has held in urine at one time or another. You may have wondered whether holding your pee is healthy. Here’s what you need to know.

You May Also Like
When Your Pudge Just Won't Budge! What to Do When Belly Fat Won't Go Away

RELATED: 3 Reasons Why Women Should Go Pee After Sex

But is it safe to hold your pee?

There isn’t a set guideline for how long you can safely hold your pee. It varies from person to person, but you need to know what happens if you do:

The cylindrical sphincters in your bladder close up tightly to keep all of the urine from leaking through your urethra.

These little muscles are great at what they do until you make them do it consistently for a really long time, say if you’re a trucker and you’re holding in your pee on long trips several times a week.

If you make a habit of holding in your pee for ages, you’re subjecting yourself to pretty serious long-term effects, including a higher risk of infection. Constantly holding in your pee can weaken your bladder muscles, which could lead to urinary retention – the dreaded condition that prevents you from being able to fully empty your bladder when you pee, which means you feel like peeing a lot.

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should NEVER Eat after Age 30

In certain circumstances, holding urine for any length of time can be even more dangerous. If you have any of the following conditions, holding your urine can increase your risk of infection or kidney disease:

– enlarged prostate
– neurogenic bladder
– kidney disorders
– urinary retention

Women who are pregnant are already at an increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs). If you’re pregnant, holding your pee can further increase this risk.

what happens when you hold your pee

So, what happens to your body when you hold your pee?

When you feel the urge to empty your bladder, the reason behind it isn’t as simple as your bladder filling up with liquid. It’s actually a pretty complex process involving many muscles, organs, and nerves that work together to tell you that it’s time to go.

When your bladder is about half full, it activates the nerves in your bladder. These nerves signal your brain to

Continue Reading

The Latest In General Health

preventing college burnout

Preventing College Burnout: Recognizing The Signs & Taking Action

Burnout is the feeling of exhaustion from whatever you're applying yourself to. Whether it's a job, school, individual, etc. College, in particular, is a time when this burnout may be new. Preventing college burnout can be hard to deal with. read more about Preventing College Burnout: Recognizing The Signs & Taking Action
recognizing red flags

Recognizing Red Flags In Relationships: Is this Toxic?

Individuals on social media have been using the term "red flag" more lately. With this trend, "red flag" is used more loosely to refer to concerning behaviors of friends, family, or romantic partners. Recognizing red flags should be easy by read more about Recognizing Red Flags In Relationships: Is this Toxic?
getting involved in sports

Getting Involved In Sports: How Do You Join A Sports Team Or Club On Campus?

If you have a passion for being an athlete, then getting involved in sports would be beneficial in many ways. Sometimes you're born into a sport because it runs in the family for generations, and you were passed the torch. read more about Getting Involved In Sports: How Do You Join A Sports Team Or Club On Campus?
medical career

Twins Forge Medical Career Together

Since high school, Chidera and Chidalu Anameze have wanted to become doctors. Now, they are embarking on their medical journey together at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo (UB). The Anameze sisters are read more about Twins Forge Medical Career Together
exam anxiety

Coping with Exam Anxiety: Strategies For Test Preparation & Stress Reduction

Coping with Exam Anxiety is never easy, especially if you are not a good test taker. Testing is never fun for students that are not prepared. There is no easy way to prepare for a test, but here are some read more about Coping with Exam Anxiety: Strategies For Test Preparation & Stress Reduction
healthy body positivity

Body Image & Self-Esteem: Promoting A Healthy Body Positivity Culture In College

More people than we think struggle with body image and healthy body positivity. No one is too old or young to struggle with this. In environments where many people are gathered and familiar with each other, there is bound to read more about Body Image & Self-Esteem: Promoting A Healthy Body Positivity Culture In College

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

6 Things In Your Home That Can Cause Cancer

things that cause cancer

5 Amazing Things Salt Water Can Cure

salt water benefits

5 Exercise Moves That Never Work

exercise moves

5 Items You Need In Your Lupus Flare Up Kit

lupus flare up
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.