Holding urine for a long time is harmful to health because pee is one of the body's ways of eliminating substances that are harmful to the body, such as microorganisms, thus preventing the occurrence of infections, for example.
Thus, when urine accumulates in the bladder for a long time, microorganisms can grow and proliferate more easily, and the bladder cannot completely relax during urination, causing some urine to remain in the bladder.
Children who tend to keep holding the pee for a long time, because they don't want to stop playing, should be encouraged to go to the bathroom before going to sleep and as soon as they wake up. In addition, the child should be taken to pee at least 4 more times a day.
Why is holding urine bad?
Pee is produced with the aim of purifying the organism, since it eliminates not only substances that are in excess in the body, but also microorganisms that may have been accumulated, thus preventing urinary infections. That is, the fact of holding the pee for a long time may favor the occurrence of some diseases, such as:
- Urinary infections, as excess bacteria and fungi remain in the urinary system, which can proliferate and result in infection. In addition, when the urine is accumulated for a long time, the bladder cannot completely relax during urination, and there may still be some urine in the bladder, which also favors infections. Women usually have infections more easily than men due to the size of the urethra, which is shorter, facilitating the proliferation of microorganisms; Urinary incontinence, since as the urine accumulates over time, the bladder may lose its elastic capacity, which can favor urinary incontinence, for example; Formation of kidney stones, which can happen not only due to not drinking water, but also because the urine is accumulated, which can cause the elements that would be eliminated in the urine to settle and remain in the urinary system, causing quite a lot of pain uncomfortable and that, in some cases, surgical removal of the stones may be necessary.
Thus, as soon as you feel like peeing, it is recommended that you do so, as it is possible to avoid future problems. If you feel like peeing, but you can't, it is important to see a doctor so that the cause of the problem can be identified and treatment can be started.
What to do to prevent diseases
To avoid diseases of the urinary system, it is important to have at least 2 liters of water a day and go to the bathroom at least 6 times a day, every 4 hours or whenever you feel like it, so it is possible to avoid the accumulation of microorganisms and progressive loss of the bladder elasticity.
It is also recommended that exercises be done to strengthen the pelvic musculature, which tends to become more flabby and inefficient with natural aging, during pregnancy and after delivery, which can favor urinary incontinence. Thus, it is important that Kegel exercises are performed, preferably with a trained professional, so that you can control your urine efficiently.
In addition, people who have diabetes should not hold the pee for long, as the high concentration of sugar in the blood and urine may favor the growth of microorganisms, with a greater chance of infections. That is why it is important that routine blood tests are done to check the blood sugar level, for example.
