With acute urinary retention, a person cannot urinate at all (even if they have a full bladder) and is a potentially life-threatening medical condition requiring immediate emergency treatment. Chronic urinary retention — can be a long-lasting medical condition.

Is urinary retention a medical emergency?

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.

What is urinary retention related to?

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.

What is the most common cause of urinary retention?

The most common cause of urinary retention is benign prostatic hyperplasia. Other common causes include prostatitis, cystitis, urethritis, and vulvovaginitis; receiving medications in the anticholinergic and alpha-adrenergic agonist classes; and cortical, spinal, or peripheral nerve lesions.

What kind of doctor do you see for urinary retention?

If you have urinary incontinence, you’re likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor. You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in urinary tract disorders (urologist) or a gynecologist with special training in female bladder problems and urinary function (urogynecologist).

When should you go to the hospital for urinary retention?

Acute urinary retention needs urgent medical attention and your bladder may need to be emptied using a urinary catheter, which is a long soft tube. See your doctor right away or go to the emergency department if you cannot urinate at all or you are in pain in your lower tummy or urinary tract area.

How serious is urinary retention?

Acute urinary retention can cause severe pain and be life threatening. If you are suddenly unable to urinate, it’s important that you seek emergency medical treatment right away.

Can urinary retention go away on its own?

Urinary retention is treatable, and there is no need to feel embarrassed or ashamed. A doctor can often diagnose the problem. However, in some cases, a person may need a referral to a urologist, proctologist, or pelvic floor specialist for further testing and treatment.

How do you know if you have urinary retention?

1. Difficulty starting to urinate.
2. Difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
3. Weak dribble or stream of urine.
4. Loss of small amounts of urine during the day.
5. Inability to feel when bladder is full.
6. Increased abdominal pressure.
7. Lack of urge to urinate.

What can you do for urinary retention?

Pelvic floor muscle exercises, also called Kegel exercises, help the nerves and muscles that you use to empty your bladder work better. Physical therapy can help you gain control over your urinary retention symptoms.

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How much urine is considered urinary retention?

There is no consensus regarding a PVR-based definition for acute urinary retention; the American Urological Association recommends that chronic urinary retention be defined as PVR volume greater than 300 mL measured on two separate occasions and persisting for at least six months.

Can anxiety and stress cause urinary retention?

People with anxiety disorders can experience a range of symptoms and side effects, even physical ones. More frequent symptoms include a pounding or rapid heartbeat, unexplained aches and pains, dizziness, and shortness of breath, but anxiety can also cause less common side effects like urinary retention.

What can I expect at a female urology exam?

The test requires a catheter to be placed in the urethra/bladder and rectum. These catheters measure pressures in the bladder and bowel. The bladder is then slowly filled with fluid in an attempt to replicate your bladder filling with urine. You may be asked to cough or strain and void/urinate during the study.

What kind of doctor specializes in bladder problems?

Urologist. A urologist specializes in male and female urinary disorders, as well as the male reproductive system.

Why can't I hold my pee all of a sudden?

Incontinence can happen when the bladder muscles suddenly tighten and the sphincter muscles are not strong enough to pinch the urethra shut. This causes a sudden, strong urge to urinate that you may not be able to control. Pressure caused by laughing, sneezing, or exercising can cause you to leak urine.

What happens if you can't empty your bladder?

If you are not able to empty completely, your bladder and its muscles may become floppy over time. With larger amounts of urine being held in the bladder all the time urine will leak out when you don’t want it to and you may have a constant feeling of fullness.

What drugs can cause urinary retention?

Urinary retention has been described with the use of drugs with anticholinergic activity (e.g. antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant agents and anticholinergic respiratory agents), opioids and anaesthetics, alpha-adrenoceptor agonists, benzodiazepines, NSAIDs, detrusor relaxants and calcium channel antagonists.

Why would a woman have trouble urinating?

Urination problems include difficulty initiating urination and impaired bladder emptying, as well as urinary incontinence. Urine voiding problems in women can be caused by a variety of conditions, including urinary retention, prolapsed bladder, urinary tract infections, and the effects of menopause and pregnancy.

Is urinary retention psychological?

Psychogenic urinary retention has received little attention in the literature. It may represent the uneasy position this disorder of bodily function occupies in clinical practice, with clear physical symptoms and associated psychological factors. The condition is more frequent in females, usually young adults.

Are you awake during cystoscopy?

You are awake during the procedure. Your doctor puts an anesthetic gel into your urethra. This numbs the area so you have no discomfort. The gel feels cold and you may have a slight burning feeling.

Does a gynecologist deal with bladder issues?

Obstetrician-Gynecologist (Ob/Gyn) They specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions of the female reproductive system. This also includes bladder problems.

How does a urologist examine a woman?

Physical Examination You can expect to undergo a physical exam, including a complete genital exam. This may include a prostate assessment for men and a pelvic exam for women.

Can I go straight to a urologist?

You Generally Need a Referral to See a Urologist Patients may also choose to skip their GP and come direct to a specialist. … In most cases other than acute emergencies (ie: kidney stones, testicular torsion, priapism), a direct referral may be necessary.