Causes of Urinary Retention
Inability to urinate or urinary retention is a painful condition. People suffering from this condition are unable to urinate, despite experiencing a strong urge to empty the bladder. Urinary retention can be chronic or acute.
Acute urinary retention develops suddenly. This is an emergency condition that needs immediate treatment. Chronic urinary retention on the other hand, might seem harmless in the short-run, but if it exists for a prolonged period, it can severely damage the kidneys and the urinary tract. Compared to women, men have a greater risk of developing this condition.
Urinary retention causes
Obstruction in the urethra
Most cases of urinary retention occur due to any obstruction in the urethra. The most common form of acute urinary retention in older men occurs from enlargement of the prostate gland or benign prostatic hypertrophy, which blocks the urethra, obstructing the urine flow. Occasionally infection and cancer could cause prostrate enlargement. In both men and women, obstruction in the urethra can occur from injury, blood clot, tumors and infections. Inflammation in the pelvic area from infections such as herpes could constrict the urethra, preventing urine from passing through it.
Neurological disorder
You might lose your bladder control from an infection of the spinal cord or brain. Injury to the brain or spinal cord might damage the nerves connecting the brain and the bladder, causing urinary retention. Spinal cord compression that can develop from injury, slip disk, infection, tumor or blood clot could cause acute urinary retention.
Side effect of surgery
Urinary retention occasionally occurs after a surgery. It occurs as a side effect of anesthesia used in the surgery.
Side effect of medication
Certain medications, including certain drugs used for treating allergy and cold and antidepressants can cause urinary retention.
Vaginal infection
In girls, vaginal yeast infection is a common cause of urinary retention. Sometimes certain soaps or detergents could irritate the vaginal area, causing symptoms of urinary retention. This symptom of urinary retention is usually common in children.
Urinary retention remedy
Urinary retention is largely a medical emergency that should be treated under expert supervision. Surgery is often recommended for removing obstructions in the urethra. Urinary retention caused by infection could be healed by treating the underlying infection responsible for the condition.
