Being unable to pass urine

Category: Urinary & Kidneys · All urinary symptoms

What it can feel like

Being unable to pass urine at all (acute retention) means wanting to go but being unable to, with a full, increasingly painful bladder. It is an emergency that needs same-day treatment with a catheter to drain the bladder, both for relief and to protect the kidneys.

Possible causes

A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.

Common causes

Retention can be associated with constipation, alcohol, anaesthetic and surgery, and medicines including decongestants, some antidepressants and strong painkillers. In men, an enlarged prostate is the background in most cases.

Other possible causes

Retention can also be associated with a urethral blockage from a stricture or stone, prostate or bladder conditions, blood clots in the bladder, and neurological problems affecting bladder emptying.

Red flags — when to seek help promptly

Being unable to pass urine at all — emergency, attend the same day
Retention with severe lower abdominal pain and a swollen bladder area
Retention with fever, shivering or side/back pain
Retention with leg weakness, saddle numbness or loss of bowel control — emergency

What a clinician may do

Emergency care will drain the bladder with a catheter and record the volume — which itself is diagnostic. Blood tests check kidney function and infection; the underlying cause (prostate, medicines, constipation, stricture) is then addressed, with a plan for trial removal of the catheter.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is retention an emergency if I feel otherwise well?

A bladder stretched beyond its capacity can be damaged, urine backs up towards the kidneys, and the pressure itself causes real harm with time. Draining it promptly is simple and prevents all of that — and the retained volume tells the team a great deal.

Will I need a catheter forever?

Usually not. Many people manage a trial without the catheter after the trigger is treated — for example with prostate-relaxing medicines — though some need an operation on the prostate or further investigation of the water pipe.

Related symptoms — Urinary & Kidneys

Blood in the urine Cloudy or strong-smelling urine Difficulty starting to urinate Flank pain Foamy urine Leaking urine (incontinence)

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Please note: This page is educational information about a symptom. A symptom alone cannot diagnose any condition, and the causes listed here are possibilities, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about a symptom — especially one that is new, severe, getting worse or not going away — please see your own clinician, who can examine you and arrange tests. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.