Don’t worry, holding your pee in once in a while won’t do much harm - it’s not like you’re on a road trip every day. But if your regular routine is making you hold your pee in, it could be a cause for concern.
What happens when you hold your pee in
Your bladder is like a balloon. It expands every time it fills up. Once it’s full, it tells you to empty it and when you do, it goes back to its original size. But in case you don’t empty it soon after it signals you to, its elasticity can start wearing off. Eventually, it won’t go back to its original size any more and just become stretched out. This can make it a lot tougher to urinate.
Side-effects of holding your pee in
A stretched bladder isn’t the only thing you need to worry about. There's more:
1. Urinary tract infections: If are prone to UTIs, you should avoid holding your pee for really long periods. A full bladder is a perfect place for bacteria to multiply and wreak havoc.
2. Kidney stones: Kidney stones can form when you have high levels of crystal-forming substances like uric acid and acetate in your urine. The longer your urine stays in your bladder, the more time these substances will have to create stones.
3. Burst bladder: Although extremely rare, holding your pee in for too long could cause your bladder to burst. This can result in death.
Holding your pee in before, after or during sex
There is a trick doing the rounds that if you hold your pee in, your orgasm can be much stronger. While this might be partially true — a full bladder can stimulate some nerves in the pelvis — it’s not worth the problems it could cause. Also, there are other ways to have better orgasms.