Urinary Retention Quiz
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Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Nao Saito, MD (Urology)
After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.
Content updated on Jan 19, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Not urinating much
Bloating
No urine
Abdominal bloating
Low urine output
Bloated belly
Decreased output of urine
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Urinary Retention quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Decreased urine output
- Not peeing enough
- Drinking lots of water but not urinating much
- Groin pain
- No urine output in 12 hours
- Urinating less than normal
- Very difficult to urinate
- Reduction in urine volume
- Pubic bone pain
- Unable to empty bladder completely
- Feeling of heaviness in pelvic area
- Pubic area pain
- Sore pubic area
- Pain in pubic area when coughing
See full list
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizWhat is Urinary Retention?
Urinary retention is a condition where the bladder cannot empty completely or at all during urination. It can be acute—a sudden inability to urinate. It can also be chronic — a gradual inability to fully empty the bladder of urine. Urinary retention may be caused by a host of different ailments.
Typical Symptoms of Urinary Retention
- Decrease in urine volume
- Unable to pass urine for 12 hours or more
- Need to strain or bear down to pass urine, in the past month
- Pubic pain
- Stomach is full or bloated when the pain comes
- Stomach feels bloated
- Bloody or red urine
- Pain when pressing down on the abdomen
Diagnostic Questions for Urinary Retention
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you urinating less?
- Has it been over 12 hours since you last passed urine?
- Have you had difficulty urinating recently?
- Do you have pain in your pubic area?
- Do you experience fullness or bloating with your pain?
Treatment of Urinary Retention
Treatment for urinary retention depends on whether it is acute or chronic. Acute urinary retention generally needs to be treated immediately by inserting a catheter tube through the urethra to drain the bladder. At the same time, doctors will search for the cause and treat the underlying cause. Chronic urinary retention does not need to be treated as urgently. The focus is on addressing the underlying cause.
Think you might have
Urinary Retention?
Try a symptom check testSymptoms Related to Urinary Retention
Diseases Related to Urinary Retention
References
Billet M, Windsor TA. Urinary Retention. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2019 Nov;37(4):649-660. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2019.07.005. Epub 2019 Aug 16. PMID: 31563200.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0733862719300690?via%3DihubSelius BA, Subedi R. Urinary retention in adults: diagnosis and initial management. Am Fam Physician. 2008 Mar 1;77(5):643-50. PMID: 18350762.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2008/0301/p643.html
What People Say about Ubie?
Male, 30s
I got more answers in one minute through your site than I did in three hours with Google.
(Sep 29, 2024)
Male, 20s
My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
(Sep 27, 2024)
Male, 50s
The questions asked and possible causes seemed spot on, putting me at ease for a next-step solution.
(Sep 26, 2024)
Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Nao Saito, MD (Urology)
After graduating from Tokyo Women's Medical University School of Medicine, Dr. Saito worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital, Toda Chuo General Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, and Ako Chuo Hospital before becoming Deputy Director (current position) at Takasaki Tower Clinic Department of Ophthalmology and Urology in April 2020.
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Urinary Retention?
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1