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The Hidden Risks of Long-Term Urinary Retention: Why You Should Take It Immediately?
Urinary retention, defined as the failure of the bladder to completely empty, may occur suddenly or gradually. When urinary retention occurs suddenly, symptoms usually include difficulty urinating and lower abdominal pain; when it occurs gradually, symptoms may include loss of bladder control, mild lower abdominal pain, and weak urine flow.
For patients who have long-term urinary retention, potential risks include serious complications such as urinary tract infection and bladder damage.
Here, we'll explore the potential causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of urinary retention to help readers better understand the dangers of this condition.
Symptoms and complications
Symptoms of urinary retention vary depending on the type of episode. Often, emergencies can cause extreme discomfort and emotional anxiety, and may even cause sweating, chest pain, and high blood pressure. Without prompt treatment, serious complications can occur, such as bladder damage or chronic kidney failure.
Symptoms may involve dizziness, sweating, or even shock, requiring immediate medical attention.
Causes of urinary retention
Urine retention can be caused by many factors, including: blockage of the bladder or urethra, neurological problems, side effects of certain medications, and weakness of the bladder muscles.
Bladder obstruction may be caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which include benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), urethral stricture, and bladder stones.
Among every 1,000 men over 40 years old, about 6 are affected by this disease every year, and the proportion rises to 30% for those over 80 years old.
Diagnostic methods
Urinary retention is usually diagnosed by measuring the amount of urine remaining in the bladder after urination. If the follow-up examination finds that the residual urine volume exceeds 50 ml, it means an increase in potential health risks. Adults over 60 years old need to be more vigilant about abnormalities in residual urine volume.
How to treat urinary retention
For acute urinary retention, the most common treatment is urinary catheterization, which can quickly relieve discomfort. For chronic urinary retention, the cause needs to be treated, which may require medications, catheterization, or surgical intervention.
Drugs using α-blockers and 5-α reductase inhibitors can effectively help patients with prostatic hyperplasia relieve symptoms.
Summary
Urine retention is not only a physiological problem, but can also have a long-term impact on the patient's quality of life. This disease is closely related to many factors, but if left untreated for a long time, it can still lead to serious health problems. As age increases, men especially need to pay attention to this problem and seek medical attention when appropriate.
Have you ever considered the potential impact urinary retention may have on your health?
