Is holding your pee harmful?
It's normal to pee multiple times a day, but sometimes we have to hold it in. Our bladder is an oval pouch surrounded by organs that make up the urinary system: two kidneys, two ureters, two urethral sphincters, and a urethra. Urine is made by the kidneys and travels down the ureters into the bladder. When the bladder fills up, the detrusor muscle inside it relaxes, letting the bladder inflate. Once it's full, the detrusor muscle contracts, the internal urethral sphincter opens, and urine is expelled through the urethra.
When the bladder fills up, it sends signals to the brain. If it's not a convenient time, the brain can override that signal and tell the external urethral sphincter to contract instead, which will hold it in. If you hold your pee for too long, it can cause discomfort, weaken the urethral sphincter, and even cause issues with your bladder.
Pelvic floor muscles prevent bladder leakage when pressure is placed on the system by coughing, sneezing, laughing, or jumping. However, improper physical support, holding urine in for too long, or forcing urine out too quickly may weaken or overwork the muscular sling. This can result in an overactive pelvic floor, bladder pain, urgency, or urinary incontinence.