Understanding Urinary Retention
What’s next?
Independence Australia stocks a wide range of intermittent and indwelling catheters, urinary drainage bags and accessories that are often recommended by your urologist or GP if you have ongoing problems with urinary retention.
Most common causes or urinary retention
1. Enlarged prostate
2. Kidney or bladder stones
3. Neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease
4. Bladder outlet obstruction or urethral stricture (tube where urine exits bladder)
5. Spinal cord Injuries where the nerve pathways between the bladder and the brain have been damaged
6. Severe constipation
7. Metabolic conditions such as diabetes
8. Vaginal prolapse
Symptoms of urinary retention to look out for
If you experience these symptoms, please contact your doctor.
- An overwhelming desire to urinate, but unable to pass any urine
- Severe abdominal distention of sudden onset or constant abdominal discomfort
- Trouble starting the flow of urine and a weak urine stream
- A need to urinate frequently day and night and only passing small volumes of urine
- A need to urinate just after finishing urination
- A sense your bladder is not completely empty after urination
Treatment
The treatment of urinary retention will depend on the cause and will require thorough assessment and investigation by a Medical Health Professional such as:
- Urologist
- Continence Physician
- Gynaecologist
Management
The management of urinary retention may involve the insertion of a urethral catheter into your bladder to drain the urine either as a short-term management plan, or you may need to learn how to use an intermittent urinary catheter to drain your bladder of urine as a lifelong bladder management plan.
Health professionals such as Nurse Continence Specialist or Urology Nurse Consultant will be able to teach you how to perform clean intermittent catheterisation, or how to manage your care for your long-term indwelling urinary catheter.
Top 6 tips to maintaining a healthy bladder
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water (1.5–2 litres) daily
- Limit caffeinated fluids, alcohol, and sugary drinks because they can irritate the bladder
- Increase your fibre intake to 25-30 grams each day to bulk up your stools to prevent constipation and straining to pass a bowel motion
- Maintain a regular pelvic floor exercise program to keep the pelvic floor muscles strong and to prevent vaginal prolapse occurring
- Practice good toilet habits and bladder control by going to the toilet when your bladder feels full and not going “just in case”.
- Use the correct toileting position when sitting on the toilet and give yourself time to facilitate complete bladder emptying.
Looking for more health articles?
Check out our wide range of health information created by industry leaders.
Catheters an Essential Guide
Urinary catheters come in many sizes and types, including rubber, silicone or latex. They’re typically used when unable to urinate or to treat
Health Cather questions.
Whether you have an indwelling, intermittent or suprapubic catheter for a few days, weeks, or long-term, we’ve pulled together the answers to some common questions around catheters.
An Introduction To Drainage Bag
When using an indwelling catheter or condom drainage, it is important to have an appropriate collecting system. There are different types of drainage bags that can be either body worn or free standing but must be kept below the level of the bladder to aid efficient drainage.
If you would like to support the valuable work we do, you can help us to provide choice for people living with a disability or other personal need by Shopping online with us or Making a donation.