How long go without urinating

The amount of time that a person can hold in their pee depends on several factors, such as how much they have had to drink. If a person feels the need to urinate, they should only hold in their pee for as long as it takes to reach a restroom. When a person is awake, they should urinate about every 3—4 hours.

Typically, a person urinates about 8 times during the day and no more than once per night after going to bed. Children should also not urinate fewer than 3 times per day, according to the Urology Care Foundation.

The frequency of peeing depends on how much the person is drinking and issues such as convenience. Typically, a person should pee about every 3—4 hours. Certain bladder conditions can influence how often a person pees.

These are not expected elements of aging. Anyone with any urinary symptoms should consult a healthcare provider, especially if they may have one of the issues described below. A person with an overactive bladder feels sudden, strong urges to urinate and experiences bladder leakage if they do not reach a restroom quickly. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, medications, Botox injections, and the implantation of nerve stimulators.

Urinary incontinence occurs when a person loses control over the ability to hold in and release urine. An overactive bladder falls within this category. It is more common for females than males to experience urinary tract infections UTIs.

This type of infection can irritate the bladder and increase urinary frequency. Doctors typically treat UTIs with antibiotics. These include :. The increased pressure on the bladder can cause the rupture if there are any weak areas in the bladder wall. If a person does not receive a diagnosis and treatment quickly, a bladder rupture can cause life threatening complications, including sepsis , which involves severe infection and kidney failure.

Typically, however, when a person holds in their urine for too long, the bladder muscles can stretch no further, and the person experiences incontinence. As a result, binge drinking is a risk factor for bladder rupture, according to an entry in Urology Case Reports. Learn more about the dangers of holding in urine here.

This can affect one or both kidneys and results in decreased urine output. Depending on how quickly the blockage occurs, a blockage can also cause other symptoms, such as: Body ache Nausea Throwing up Swelling Fever Medications: Some medicines can make you make less urine. Medications are known to cause this include: 1.

ACE antagonists, for example, are blood pressure drugs 3. Gentamicin, an antibiotic 4. If your medicine causes you to release less urine, discuss your concerns with your doctor. They can change your medication or adjust your current dose Diagnosis: Your doctor will start by asking questions about how long you've had the problem, how bad it is, and other things that might happen to you.

Your doctor will probably do a physical exam and want a sample of your urine for testing. Other tests: Doctors may also want to do more tests to determine what caused the decrease in urine output and whether the decrease has caused kidney damage.

Some tests run include: Urinalysis: To detect an infection, including urinalysis and urine culture. Additional kidney function tests include hour urine tests in which urine is collected and analyzed for one day at home. Ultrasound or computed tomography of the abdomen: To check for obstruction, such as a dilated kidney hydronephrosis.

Blood test: To check your electrolytes, blood count, or kidney function. Cystoscopy: A procedure performed by a urologist involves the use of a small camera to view the inside of the bladder. Treatment: The treatment of oliguria depends on the cause. If you are dehydrated, your doctor will recommend that you drink more fluids and electrolytes. In severe cases, you may need fluids through an IV a tube that puts fluid directly into a vein in your hand or arm.

More fluids can also help you clear small kidney stones, as can medications that relax the muscles in the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder ureter. If the stones are large, your doctor may recommend using sound waves to break them up or surgery to remove them. Surgery can also repair other types of blockages. If the oliguria is caused by kidney disease, you will see a specialist called a nephrologist who will work with you to control the condition or slow it down.

In severe cases, you may need a transplant or dialysis, a process that removes excess water and toxins from your blood, since your kidneys cannot. When to visit a Doctor? Your bladder, a muscle, may even start to atrophy or weaken, leading to urinary incontinence , or poor bladder emptying.

But this is a very uncommon occurrence. In these cases, difficulty urinating may be caused by an enlarged prostate in men , surgery, certain medications, infection or a nerve problem.

So if you are a bathroom procrastinator, how do you know when you just need to get out of your chair and go? Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician? Save time, book online. Close X. Back to Living Better Living Better newsletter.