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How do you tell if your bladder is not emptying fully?

What are the symptoms of urinary retention? the inability to urinate. pain—often severe—in your lower abdomen. the urgent need to urinate. swelling of your lower abdomen.

niddk.nih.gov - Symptoms & Causes of Urinary Retention | NIDDK

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What are the symptoms of urinary retention?

Acute urinary retention

Symptoms of acute urinary retention may include

the inability to urinate

pain—often severe—in your lower abdomen

the urgent need to urinate

swelling of your lower abdomen

Chronic urinary retention

Chronic urinary retention develops over time and may cause few or no symptoms, which may make it hard to detect. If your chronic urinary retention causes symptoms, they may include

the inability to completely empty your bladder when urinating

frequent urination in small amounts

difficulty starting the flow of urine, called hesitancy

a slow urine stream

the urgent need to urinate, but with little success

feeling the need to urinate after finishing urination

leaking urine without any warning or urge

lower abdominal pain or discomfort

When should I see a health care professional?

See a health care professional right away if you are unable to urinate or have severe pain in your abdomen. Acute urinary retention can be life threatening. If you have any of the other symptoms of urinary retention, such as trouble urinating, frequent urination, or leaking urine, talk with your health care professional about your symptoms and possible treatments. Chronic urinary retention can cause serious health problems. It’s important to see a health care professional if you have symptoms of urinary retention.

What causes urinary retention?

The causes of urinary retention are related to either a blockage that partially or fully prevents urine from leaving your bladder or urethra, or your bladder not being able to maintain a strong enough force to expel all the urine.

Blockage or narrowing in the urethra or bladder neck

For you to be able to urinate normally, all parts of your urinary tract need to work together in the correct order. Urine normally flows from your kidneys, through the ureters to your bladder, and out the urethra. If a blockage or narrowing occurs somewhere along the urinary tract, you may have difficulty urinating, and if the blockage is severe, you may not be able to urinate at all.

Medical problems that may narrow the urethra and block urine flow include

Inefficient bladder contraction (underactive bladder)

You may develop urinary retention when your bladder muscles aren’t able to contract with enough strength or do not contract long enough to empty your bladder completely—also called underactive bladder. Causes of underactive bladder include Neurological problems. Urinary retention can occur when there is a problem with your nervous system that prevents messages from travelling from your brain to your bladder and urethra. There are many different causes of neurological problems, including Medicines. Urinary retention can be caused by certain medicines that interfere with nerve signals to your bladder, urethra, or prostate. Examples of these medicines include

alpha-adrenergic agonists

anticholinergics and antispasmodics

antidepressants

antihistamines and decongestants

antiparkinsonian medications

antipsychotics

benzodiazepines

calcium channel blockers

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen

opioids

serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors

Surgery. It is common to develop temporary urinary retention right after surgery. During surgery, you are often given intravenous (IV) fluid, which may lead to a full bladder. You are also given anesthesia, which can prevent you from feeling the need to urinate despite having a full bladder. In addition, pelvic surgery can cause swelling, scar tissue, and trauma that can partially or fully block the flow of urine out of your bladder or urethra. Weak bladder muscles. Bladder muscles that are weak may not contract with enough strength or force to empty the bladder completely. Causes of weakness can include

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Why am I up peeing every 2 hours at night?

Drinking too much fluid during the evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night include: Infection of the bladder or urinary tract.

medlineplus.gov - Urinating more at night: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Drinking too much fluid during the evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol after dinner can also lead to this problem.

Other common causes of urination at night include:

Infection of the bladder or urinary tract

Drinking a lot of alcohol, caffeine, or other fluids before bedtime

Enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH)

Pregnancy

Other conditions that can lead to the problem include:

Chronic kidney failure

Diabetes

Drinking excessive amount of water

Heart failure

High blood calcium level

Certain medicines, including water pills (diuretics)

Diabetes insipidus

Swelling of the legs

Waking often during the night to urinate can also be linked to obstructive sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders. Nocturia may go away when the sleeping problem is under control. Stress and restlessness can also cause you to wake up at night.

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