Are you having problems on emptying your bladder? If you are, then you’re not alone!
Urine retention or urinary retention is a condition in which the bladder is unable to empty completely. In other words, if you are suffering from urinary retention, it means you are unable to either start urination or fully empty your bladder. 
Urinary retention can be acute or chronic. Acute urinary retention happens suddenly and lasts only a short time. People with acute urinary retention cannot urinate at all, even though they have a full bladder. Acute urinary retention, a potentially life-threatening medical condition, requires immediate emergency treatment. Acute urinary retention can cause great discomfort or pain.
Chronic urinary retention, on the other hand, can be a long-lasting medical condition. People with chronic urinary retention can urinate. However, they do not completely empty all of the urine from their bladders. Often people are not even aware they have this condition until they develop another problem, such as urinary incontinence—loss of bladder control, resulting in the accidental loss of urine—or a urinary tract infection (UTI), an illness caused by harmful bacteria growing in the urinary tract.
What causes urine retention? 
The most common causes of urine retention include:
- Weak bladder muscles – Weakened muscles could interfere with nerve signals between the bladder and brain and may not contract strongly enough for complete emptying of the bladder, resulting in urinary retention.
- Nerve damage – Any problem with nerves could mean that the brain is not able to receive the message that the bladder needs to empty.
- Obstruction of urethra – Any obstruction of the urethra will not allow the free flow of urine through the urinary tract. Constipation, urinary tract stones, tumor or cancerous growth, and cystocele are some of the conditions can cause an obstruction.
What are the symptoms of urine retention?
- Hesitancy – really having to strain to pass urine.
- Strong feelings of urgency and frequency and when passing urine only a small amount comes out.
- A urinary stream that is dribbling, very weak and intermittent.
- Difficulty starting to urinate.
- Inability to feel when bladder is full.
- Nocturia (waking up more than two times at night to urinate)
Be mindful that once your bladder is not emptying properly, there is a risk that the residual urine in the bladder will become infected. This could cause further complications and problems if it isn’t removed regularly.
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