Holding in Your Pee Can Harm Your Health More Than You Realize

Holding in your urine for too long might seem harmless, but it can have serious consequences for your health. From increasing the risk of infections to putting extra strain on your bladder and kidneys, delaying bathroom trips can lead to unexpected problems. Your body signals when it’s time to go for a reason, and ignoring those signals too often can have lasting effects. Here’s why you should never hold it in for too long.

This might increase risk of urinary tract infections.

When urine stays in the bladder for too long, bacteria begin to multiply, increasing the risk of infection. This can lead to painful symptoms such as burning, pain, and frequent urges to urinate.

It may weaken your bladder muscles.

While holding your pee from time to time may seem harmless, doing so regularly might have some unwanted consequences. Holding your urine for long periods puts pressure on your bladder and pelvic floor muscles. Over time, it might lead to incontinence and cause difficulties emptying your bladder.

It might damage your kidneys.

Although occasionally holding your pee doesn’t pose serious health risks, some people might want to avoid doing so. For example, keeping your urine for a long time might make you vulnerable to infections, especially if you have kidney conditions. In severe cases, it might even cause urine to back up in the kidneys, leading to serious damage.

It might cause your bladder to stretch.

Normally, when your bladder is full, it stretches and then returns to its original shape. But regularly holding in your pee might eventually change the shape of your bladder, preventing it from bouncing back.

It may trigger urinary tract infections.

Emptying your bladder helps bacteria that are naturally present in the urinary tract exit your body. But when you hold in your urine, bacteria start to build up and multiply, which might lead to infections in the long run.

Using the toilet properly is important not just for comfort, but also for maintaining good hygiene and overall health.