Your bladder typically signals the need to urinate when it’s about one-third to one-half full, though this can vary among individuals. They list obstruction of the urethra, nerve problems, medications, and weakened bladder muscles as potential causes. Focus on tightening a specific group of muscles for 5 seconds, then relaxing them for 10 seconds. Start with your arms and upper body, then move down to your chest, abdomen, and legs.
You can also try using your phone or reciting song lyrics in your head to help you relax. Relaxing your body and breathing deeply are important components of making yourself urinate. The key to urinating on command is relaxing enough to let it happen. When you’re stressed or distracted, it can be challenging to relax your body and mind, but there are techniques to help you do so.
- People may need to drink several sips before trying to pee to get this technique to work.
- If a person is nervous or stressed about being unable to pee, they can try some basic relaxation techniques to encourage urination.
- Instead, opt for low-impact activities that promote overall health and well-being.
- They list obstruction of the urethra, nerve problems, medications, and weakened bladder muscles as potential causes.
Those of us how to make myself pee who don’t work in the medical field just say that we’re having trouble peeing. In addition to jumping jacks, you can try walking around or doing some light stretching to encourage urination. Moving your body can help activate your bladder and stimulate the need to pee. You can also try tapping your navel or lower abdomen, as this may trigger a contraction in your bladder. «Hovering over the toilet prevents you from being able to relax your pelvic floor, adds Dr. Scott.
With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics. Ashley is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Place both hands on your abdomen above the pubic bone, says Dr. Adelstein.
Drink water
Quick methods include running warm water over your hands, gentle lower abdominal massage, walking around briefly, and creating a relaxing environment with white noise like running water. Of course, there are things other than urinary retention that may be obstructing your bathroom break. For instance, Troy Madsen, an emergency room doctor at University of Utah Health Care, explains that men’s prostates enlarge as they get older, which makes it harder to pee. When massaging your lower stomach, you can try the Valsalva maneuver, a breathing technique that creates pressure in your chest and forces you to strain and exhale, relaxing your body. You can also try abdominal massage, but only when requested and for a particular reason. There’s also a little condition called paruresis (a.k.a., «shy bladder»), which is when you have trouble peeing when you’re around other people–say, in a crowded bathroom.
Reasons to induce urination
Since being unable to pee can be pretty dangerous, seeing a doctor is crucial if home remedies aren’t working, especially if it’s been more than 36 hours since you’ve urinated. «The first thing I would do is do an ultrasound of the bladder,» sats Dr. Kaminetsky. «That would tell me if the bladder is full or if it’s empty and you only have the sensation of having to pee.» If your bladder’s empty, your doc would suggest you drink some fluids.
Instead, opt for low-impact activities that promote overall health and well-being. Remember to stay properly hydrated by drinking enough water, especially if you’re increasing your physical activity levels. A person having difficulty urinating on demand for a urine test probably has no underlying medical condition. In these cases, the person can typically induce urination using the techniques listed above.
- Then, gently and slowly press your hands downward and into your pelvis toward your full bladder.
- Some examples of diuretic foods are asparagus, beets, cabbage, celery, and cranberries, according to Rodale’s Organic Life.
- You can also try tapping your navel or lower abdomen, as this may trigger a contraction in your bladder.
General Health
Simple exercises such as walking or doing jumping jacks can help a person urinate. Drinking water or another low-sugar liquid while attempting to pee may also trigger the body to urinate. However, the way you sit on the toilet can affect the way urine passes through your bladder and urinary tract. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases describes urinary retention as «the inability to empty the bladder completely.»
How can drinking water or other fluids affect my ability to urinate on demand?
If you can’t pee due to dehydration, the natural thing to do would be to rehydrate and drink water, says Dr. Kaminetsky. Some signs of severe dehydration include dark yellow pee to not being able to pee at all after several hours, lightheadedness, nausea, and even fainting. «If you’re severely dehydrated, your blood pressure could drop, you could pass out, or develop kidney failure,» says Dr. Kaminetsky. However, there are times when a person needs to pee, either for a urine sample or other reasons, and cannot prepare beforehand. We mentioned eating diuretic foods to help increase urine flow, but you can do more than just chow down on them.
Pilates, for example, is a strengthening exercise that can help improve core muscle strength and reduce stress incontinence. Yoga poses like child’s pose, happy baby, and yogi squat can also help with pelvic floor relaxation and coordination. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and a balanced diet can reduce the pressure of fatty tissue on your bladder and improve bladder control. If the toilet is within reach of a sink or tub, turn on the cold tap and let the water run over your hand.
Therefore, it is recommended to choose a low-sugar juice option if using this method to stimulate urination. Being unable to fully empty your bladder can be frustrating and uncomfortable. If you want to learn how to improve your urine flow, keep your bladder healthy, and soothe your symptoms while you get better, you’re in the right place.
It is important to note that you should not force yourself to pee if you don’t have to for medical reasons. If you are experiencing problems with urinating outside of a medical examination, you should seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. Finally, if a person experiences problems with urinating outside of a medical examination, they should seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. An untreated infection can have serious consequences, so seeing a doctor as soon as possible is crucial. Before diving into specific techniques, it’s important to understand that normal urination is a natural bodily function controlled by both voluntary and involuntary processes.
Staying well hydrated is clearly the most important thing here, says Dr. Movassaghi. Not being able to pee can be a pretty uncomfortable condition, whether you really feel like you have to, or whether you think it’s about time you should pee. We talked to a urologist about what to do when you need to go but you just can’t, and a few reasons behind the problem. Following surgery, a person may experience a condition called neurogenic bladder. This is because the nerves no longer tell the brain when it is time to urinate.
And yes, it’s okay to release in the water if you have to, but ideally you get to the toilet before you have to. This is especially helpful when you need to provide a urine sample for a medical test. Drinking 8-16 ounces of water about minutes before needed can help create the urge to urinate. Consistent hydration throughout the day maintains healthy bladder function. Researchers found that participants, who suffered from lower urinary tract symptoms, all had a much easier time urinating with assistance from the sound of running water.
