Bladder Retention Symptoms

Bladder retention--also known as urine retention or ischuria--is a condition in which an individual has difficulty emptying urine from his bladder. Bladder retention is a complication of a number of medical problems and, if left untreated, can result in other serious health conditions. Bladder retention symptoms can be broken down into three main types: early warning symptoms, chronic bladder retention symptoms and acute bladder retention symptoms.

Aspects

• Bladder retention can be caused by a variety of conditions that inhibit the proper functioning of the bladder or that interfere with the neural pathway between the brain and the bladder. The most common of these conditions include severe urinary tract infections, bladder stones, medications (certain anti-depressants, antihistamines and digestive system antispasmodic medications), neurological system trauma or prostate enlargement.

Early symptoms

• The initial symptoms of a bladder retention problem include needing to urinate frequently and a feeling that the bladder is not completely empty after urinating, as well as the need to urinate during the night. The amount of urine produced each time will seem smaller than usual.

Chronic symptoms

• An individual suffering from chronic bladder retention problems will experience difficulty starting to urinate, and when the urine is finally produced, the flow will be noticeably weaker than normal. She may also experience overflow incontinence: leaking or dripping urine between urinating. While chronic bladder retention problems cause an uncomfortable sensation of fullness in the bladder, chronic symptoms differ from those of acute bladder retention which can be extremely painful and may develop into a medical emergency.

Acute symptoms

• In acute bladder retention, the lower portion of the abdomen becomes bloated and painful and the individual is unable to urinate despite having a full bladder. Unless acute bladder retention is treated promptly, the bladder can stretch to the point of tearing and urine can back up into the kidneys, possibly causing kidney failure.

Treatment

• The main treatment for bladder retention is to identify and treat the underlying cause of the problems. In cases of acute bladder retention, a catheter can be used to empty the bladder and prevent further health complications. If the cause of chronic bladder retention cannot be identified or resolved adequately, the person may need to use a catheter on a regular basis.