Urinary Retention Treatment at Home: Effective Home Remedies

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Nobel Hygiene

May 3, 2024

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What Is Urinary Retention?

“I always used to wonder, what does tau ji do in the bathroom for so long? He used to sit there for at least 15 minutes, every 2 hours. Aur andar se bilkul awaz nahi, ekdum gup sannata” says Sharmila recalling her tau ji’s strange habits, who passed away at 64 years of age. “Unfortunately, none of us had any idea that urinary retention is a thing and he was, as it turns out, too embarrassed to tell us. Then he passed away shortly after. If we knew, we could have maybe tried some urine retention home remedies,” she ends.

Urinary retention, meaning, the inability to empty the bladder completely. A person who suffers from urinary retention may face difficulties in emptying their bladder and may not feel finished after urination. Even after making multiple trips to the bathroom and trying really hard, some urine always remains in the bladder.

There are two types of urinary retention:

Acute Urinary Retention

– this type of urinary retention can be life threatening. It lasts for a short duration of time but happens suddenly and prevents you from peeing at all even if your bladder is at its limit.

Chronic Urinary Retention

– this type of urinary retention develops over a long period of time. You can empty the bladder but not all the way.

How Common Is Urinary Retention Condition?

Urinary retention is a condition in which the bladder does not empty completely or, in some cases, does not empty at all. Both men and women can develop this condition, but it is more common in older adults and people with underlying health conditions. Chances of urinary retention increase as you age because of conditions like hormonal changes, weaker muscles, nerve issues, or prostate-related issues. It isn’t very common and is often overlooked, as mild symptoms are usually ignored unless they become uncomfortable.

Urinary retention symptoms

The symptoms of urinary retention can vary based on the type of bladder retention, severity, and underlying cause. Some common symptoms of acute urinary retention include:

Complete inability to urinate
Extreme pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen
Swelling of the lower abdomen
The symptoms of chronic urinary retention include:
Trouble starting urination
Weak urine stream or a stream of urine that stops and starts irregularly
Urine streams stops before you feel finished
Urinating more than 8 times a day
Having to strain to urinate
Urine leakage

What are the Causes Of Urinary Retention in Males?

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH):
BPH is a common condition where the prostate gland enlarges as men age. This enlargement can obstruct the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra, leading to urinary retention.
Prostate Cancer:
Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the prostate gland. As the cancer grows, it can block the urethra, causing urinary retention.
Prostatitis:
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, often caused by bacterial infection. In some cases, prostatitis can lead to urinary retention due to swelling and irritation of the prostate, which can obstruct the flow of urine.
Urethral Stricture:
An urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. Scar tissue, inflammation, or injury can cause the urethra to narrow, making it difficult to pass urine.
Neurogenic Bladder:
Neurogenic bladder is a dysfunction of the bladder due to neurological damage or disease. Conditions such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or stroke can disrupt the normal nerve signals between the bladder and the brain, leading to problems with bladder function, including urinary retention.
Bladder Stones:
Bladder stones are hard masses of minerals that form in the bladder. These stones can block the flow of urine out of the bladder, leading to urinary retention.
Swelling in the Prostate:

Prostate inflammation can block urine flow, making it harder to empty your bladder completely. When the prostate swells, it pushes against the urethra, which can also slow down or stop urine flow. This is more common in adult and aging men, and can occur slowly or suddenly, depending on what causes it.

What are the Causes Of Urinary Retention in Females?

If you are unable to urinate as a female, the causes could be any of the following:

Pelvic Organ Prolapse:
Weak pelvic floor muscles allow pelvic organs like the bladder, uterus, or rectum to descend, obstructing the urethra and causing urine retention in women.
Urethral Diverticulum:
Weakness in urethral tissues forms pouches trapping urine, leading to incomplete bladder emptying and retention.
Cystocele:
A weakened bladder-vagina wall causes bladder bulging, disrupting urinary function and causing retention or frequent urination.
Neurological Disorders:
Conditions like spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis disrupt nerve signals to the bladder, causing dysfunction and retention.
Urethral Stricture:
Narrowing of the urethra due to scar tissue or inflammation obstructs urine flow, leading to urine retention in women.
Bladder Dysfunction:
Overactive bladder syndrome causes frequent urges, while underactive bladder results in incomplete emptying, both leading to retention.
Post-Pregnancy or Menopause
Hormonal changes after having a baby or during menopause can weaken the pelvic muscles and make it harder to control your bladder. For some women, nerves can stretch during childbirth, and lower oestrogen may disrupt normal urine flow, increasing the risk of not being able to empty the bladder completely.
Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs can cause swelling and irritation in your urinary tract. This can make it hard or painful to pee. Sometimes a severe infection could block the flow of your urine until further medical evaluation.

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Risk factors of Urinary Retention

Even though anyone can develop urinary retention, the most common risk factors are gender and age. Urinary retention is more commonly found in men due to prostate-related issues, and the risk of developing urinary retention tends to increase with age.

Some other common risk factors of urinary retention include:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Childbirth, especially when the delivery was difficult
Weak bladder muscles due to injury or inactivity
Medical disorders and conditions that can damage the nerves, such as diabetes, kidney damage, AIDS, etc.

What Are the Complications of Urinary Retention?

If you don’t address urinary retention, it can lead to long-term health issues. A weak bladder function can cause urine to be trapped in your body for an uncertain period. This can develop pressure on your bladder and raise your likelihood of developing infections, organ damage, and chronic discomfort.

UTIs

When urine gets trapped in your bladder, bacteria get the perfect environment to multiply. This makes you more likely to get UTI repeatedly. People with urinary retention might get UTIs often, and they can be hard to treat. These infections can irritate your bladder and worsen urinary symptoms.

Bladder Issues

Your bladder is designed to stretch and contract, but prolonged fullness can weaken the muscles. Prolonged stretching of your bladder can lead to improper contraction when you pee.

Kidney Issues

If urinary retention is chronic or severe, urine flow can return to your kidneys. This can damage your kidneys, making them more prone to infections. If you fail to manage it, it can disrupt kidney function or cause permanent damage, impacting your overall health.

Leakage

When your bladder gets too full, you might unknowingly deal with urine leakage. This is called overflow incontinence. It takes place when your bladder fails to hold any more urine. This leakage is often constant or happens anytime, which can disrupt your daily routine.

Stones

When your bladder holds urine, this helps minerals to settle and form crystals. These crystals can develop bladder stones, leading to pain, making it hard to pee, causing blood in your urine, or recurring infections.

How Is Urinary Retention Diagnosed?

In order to diagnose urinary retention, the doctors will test your symptoms and attempt to determine the underlying cause. The initial focus is to evaluate your medical history, prescribed drugs, urinary pattern, and other health issues. This helps them plan their treatment process accordingly.

PVR Test

To check how much urine is left in your bladder after you pee, the post-void residual urine test is done. Doctors usually use ultrasounds, but sometimes a catheter might be used. If there’s a lot of urine left, it indicates improper bladder activity. This helps doctors understand the severity of the infections and proceed with the treatment.

Cystoscopy

This test lets your doctors look through your bladder and urethra with a thin, bendy tube, with a camera on it. This helps them spot conditions like a narrowed urethra, bladder stones, growth, or swelling.

Urodynamic Testing

These tests evaluate the capacity of your bladder and urethra to hold and release urine. They measure your bladder pressure, urine flow, and muscle coordination when you fill and empty your bladder. The results show whether weak bladder muscles, poor muscle coordination, or nerve problems contribute to urinary retention.

Prostate-Specific Antigen

Men might undergo a prostate-specific antigen test for prostate health evaluation. High levels could mean the prostate is enlarged, inflamed, or has other problems that could be affecting urine flow. This test helps doctors check if prostate issues are part of the urinary retention problem.

How Is Urinary Retention Treated?

The treatment for urinary retention depends on how suddenly it develops and what’s causing it. Some cases appear out of nowhere and require immediate medical attention. Others take time and need ongoing care. The point of treatment is to ease symptoms, and prevent further complications.

Treating Acute Urinary Retention

Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. You’ll probably feel intense pain and discomfort in your lower stomach. The first thing doctors usually do is to put a catheter in to drain the urine. This helps provide quick relief and eases pressure on your bladder and kidneys.

Treating Long-term Urinary Retention

If urinary retention develops gradually, it may not cause much discomfort at first, but it is still important to seek medical attention. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying cause and improving bladder emptying. Doctors may prescribe medications to relax the bladder or reduce prostate enlargement in men. For women, pelvic floor therapy can help strengthen the muscles involved in urination.

How to Manage or Prevent Mild Urinary Retention

While medical treatment is often necessary for severe cases of urinary retention, there are several natural remedies that can help manage urinary retention treatment at home.
In fact, there’s an exercise that has the potential to help you in regaining nearly complete control over your bladder! Keep reading until the end to discover which exercise can accomplish this astonishing feat.

Physical Therapy:
Physical therapy techniques, such as pelvic floor muscle exercises, can help strengthen the muscles that support bladder control. These exercises can improve bladder function and reduce the risk of urinary retention.
Train Your Bladder:
Bladder training involves gradually increasing the intervals between bathroom visits to help retrain the bladder to hold urine for longer periods and improve its ability to empty completely.
Modify Your Diet:
Certain dietary modifications can help manage urinary retention. For example, reducing the intake of bladder irritants, such as caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and artificial sweeteners, may help alleviate symptoms. Additionally, consuming a balanced diet rich in fibre can prevent constipation, which can contribute to urinary retention by putting pressure on the bladder.
Take a Warm Bath:
Soaking in a warm bath can help relax the muscles of the pelvic floor and lower abdomen, potentially relieving tension and promoting better bladder function.
Take Time to Relax:
Stress and anxiety can exacerbate urinary symptoms, including retention. Engaging in relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help reduce stress levels and promote overall well-being.
Stay Hydrated:
While it may seem counterintuitive, maintaining adequate hydration is essential for bladder health. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps maintain proper bladder function and urinary flow. However, it's essential to avoid excessive fluid intake close to bedtime to minimise the need for nighttime urination.

Natural Remedies for Urinary Retention

Below are some natural remedies for slow urine flow in males and females:

Pain Relievers

Bladder retention causes extreme discomfort or pain in the lower half of your body. Bladder retention is often caused by swelling and infections.
You can take over-the-counter medications to relieve pain, cramps and discomfort for the time being.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil, an essential oil is known for its healing, soothing and pain-relieving qualities. It has been used to treat bladder retention issues in the past, too.

To encourage urination, place a few drops of peppermint oil into the toilet water. The vapour from the oil will contact the perineum, the thin skin between your genitals and help to increase urine flow naturally. This will help in treating urinary retention.

Dandelion

Dandelion, a wild herb has been used to treat bladder inflammation and retention. Females can buy dandelion tea from a local store and drink it twice a day to see visible results.

Stinging nettle

The stinging nettle plant, medically known as Urtica dioica, is used to relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate, which also includes urinary retention.

Kegel Exercises

The best and most effective exercise and home remedy for anything related to bladder and urine control! Kegel exercises can help you regain control over your bladder or bowel movements, especially in cases where a person is experiencing retention because of a loss of muscle control due to ageing. Now how to do Kegel exercise? Just follow these steps:

Sit or lie down comfortably and imagine yourself trying to stop the flow of urine or prevent passing gas. The muscles you just used to do this are your pelvic floor muscles.
Once you have identified the pelvic floor muscles, Squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles. hold the contraction for a few seconds (around 3-5 seconds) before releasing.
After the contraction, allow your pelvic floor muscles to relax fully for a few seconds (around 3-5 seconds) before proceeding to the next repetition.
Repeat the contraction and relaxation sequence for about 10 repetitions, which makes one set. Aim to complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions in a day.

Prostate Medicines

Alpha-blockers relax prostate and bladder muscles, improving urine flow. 5-alpha reductase inhibitors shrink the prostate, reducing obstruction and alleviating urinary retention symptoms in conditions like BPH.

Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods

Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains support bladder health and muscle function, potentially aiding in the management of urinary retention, although evidence is limited.

Do Bladder Training

Bladder training involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits, helping you control and improve bladder capacity. This helps in managing urge incontinence and mild urinary retention.

Home remedies to prevent urinary retention

If you’re experiencing mild urinary retention and are aiming to prevent it, a few lifestyle and dietary changes can help to increase urine flow naturally:

Drink plenty of water and other fluids to help flush out the urinary tract and keep it healthy.
Practice pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles responsible for urine control.
Avoid foods and beverages that can irritate the bladder, such as caffeine, alcohol, and spicy or acidic foods.
Avoid constipation by eating a high-fibre diet, drinking plenty of water, and engaging in regular physical activity.
Urinate whenever you feel the urge to, and avoid holding in urine for too long.

Foods That Can Help With Urinary Retention Treatment At Home

Including bladder cleansing foods like cucumber, pineapple, citrus fruits and ginger in your diet is a home remedy for urinary retention.
Foods rich in magnesium, such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, may aid in the management of urinary retention due to their role in muscle function and relaxation.
Probiotic-rich foods, including yoghurt and fermented foods, may also promote urinary health by maintaining a balanced gut microbiota.

While these foods can support overall bladder function, they should be part of a balanced diet and used in conjunction with medical advice and appropriate treatment for urinary retention.

Urine Retention Treatment

The right urine retention treatment will depend on the diagnosed cause. Some treatments your doctor might recommend include:

Antibiotics in cases of UTIs
Physical therapy and pelvic floor exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor
Changing any medications that might be causing urinary retention
Catheterization to drain the bladder
Medications, physical therapy, and surgeries to treat prostate-related issues
Inserting a narrow tube called stent into the urethra to prevent any blockages in the future

Of course, there are more treatments to urinary retention than the few listed here based on the cause.

When to see a doctor?

Please speak with your doctor as soon as you notice you’re experiencing symptoms of urinary retention. Diagnosing and beginning treatment for a condition in its early stages can significantly improve your chances of a complete recovery or, at the very least, prevent the condition from worsening further.

Key Takeaways

If you experience worsening of symptoms with any these natural treatments for urinary retention, discontinue their use immediately and take help from a doctor. We will not recommend taking these if you already suffer from illnesses and are on medication, or otherwise.
These are just remedies that people have found useful over the years but have no solid scientific backing. So, always take caution.

FAQs:

How can I fix urinary retention at home?

Fixing urinary retention at home depends on the underlying cause and severity of the condition. For mild cases, you can try these home remedies:

Practicing Kegel Exercises to improve bladder control.
Keeping yourself well hydrated for healthy urinary function.
Avoiding bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods.
Urinating whenever you feel the urge to.
Urinate, wait for a few moments, and then try again to ensure the bladder is completely empty.

What is a quick remedy for urine retention?

While there's no one-size-fits-all quick remedy, drinking a glass of water and waiting in a relaxed position can sometimes help initiate urination.

How can urinary retention be cured?

The cure for urinary retention depends on its cause and severity. Simple home remedies, and dietary and lifestyle changes might cure urinary retention in mild cases. In moderate to severe cases, medications, catheterization, or surgery might be necessary. It's essential to consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

What are the home remedies to increase urine flow?

To improve urine flow, consider these home remedies:

Staying hydrated: Drinking plenty of water supports healthy urine production and flow.
Herbal teas: Some herbal teas like dandelion or parsley tea are believed to promote urine flow.
Citrus fruits: Consuming citrus fruits like oranges and lemons can help increase urine output.
Diuretic fruits and vegetables: Diuretics such as banana, pineapple, sweet potato, can help the kidneys produce more urine.

What are the main causes of urinary retention?

The main causes of urinary retention include:

Enlarged Prostate (BPH): This condition can obstruct urine flow.
Prostate Cancer: Tumours in the prostate can cause blockages.
Urinary Tract Infections: Infections can lead to irritation and muscle dysfunction.
Weakened or injured pelvic floor muscles: These muscles support the organs responsible for urination.
Neurological Disorders: Conditions like multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries can disrupt nerve signals to the bladder.
Medications: Certain medications can affect bladder function.

Can urinary retention be cured naturally?

For mild cases, natural remedies like Kegel exercises, hydration, herbal supplements, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes can help in bladder retention treatment. However, severe cases might require medical intervention.

Is urinary retention curable?

The curability of urinary retention depends on its cause and severity. While mild cases can often be managed effectively with lifestyle changes and natural remedies, more severe cases might require ongoing medical treatment or interventions.