Types

Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency because it causes the inability to urinate. A patient with chronic urinary retention is often able to urinate, but has a difficult time starting to urinate and/or completely draining her bladder, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Risk Factors

A patient who uses decongestants, antihistamines, certain prescription drugs or alcohol has an increased risk of developing acute urinary retention. Risk factors for chronic and acute urinary retention include complications during surgery, spinal injury, prostate problems, urethral stricture, kidney or bladder stones, cystocele, urinary tract infections and/or gynecological surgery.

Symptoms

In addition to an inability to urinate, a patient with urinary retention often develops abdominal pain, a frequent need to urinate, a distended stomach and/or overflow incontinence.

Diagnosis

A bladder scan measures a patient's post-void residual, which is the amount of urine that remains in the bladder after urination. During a cystoscopy, a doctor uses a cystoscope to examine the urinary tract. A doctor may use urodynamic tests to determine how well a patient can empty his bladder.

Treatment

When a patient has acute urinary retention, a doctor uses a catheter to completely rid his bladder of urine. A patient with chronic urinary retention may need to use a catheter for a long period of time or have dilation or cystocele surgery.

Source:

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Retention

Urology Channel: Urologic Emergencies

Merck: Urinary Retention

More Information:

Healthline: Urinary Retention

Bladder and Bowel Function Foundation: Urinary Retention & Difficulty Urinating

National Center for Emergency Medicine Informatics: Urinary Retention