Why do I feel like I have to pee all the time?
Bladder Health Mini Series
Part One: Why do I feel like I have to pee all the time?
Part Two: Top 3 Tips to Calm Your Bladder
If you've ever found yourself running to the bathroom more times than you can count, you're not alone. Many people silently endure the constant urge to pee, thinking “it's just the way it is." But here's the truth: there's a lot you can do to resolve bladder issues naturally—no medications or surgery required.
In part one of this two-part bladder health series, we are going to discuss the common reasons behind urinary urgency and how you can start addressing them. In part two, I’ll show you exactly how to reduce urgency and calm your bladder through posture and breathing.
Common Myths About Bladder Issues
When it comes to bladder issues, there are a few myths that keep popping up, and it’s important to set the record straight.
“Drinking more water makes you pee more.” This is a common belief, but the opposite is actually true. Drinking more water dilutes your urine, calming your bladder. When you’re well-hydrated, you’ll find that you pee less frequently, and the urgency becomes less intense. One of the roles of your bladder is to eliminate toxins from your body in the form of urine. It senses the amount of toxins through the concentration of your urine. When your urine is more concentrated- meaning it has more toxins in it- your bladder will sense that and give you more intense urgency at lower volumes. When your urine is more dilute- meaning is has a lower concentration of toxins- your bladder will be more willing to hold that urine, and you wont get urgency as often, and the urgency will be less intense. Remember, concentration beats volume when it comes to what triggers that urgent need to go.
“Leaking after having a baby is normal.” Let’s get this straight: leaking is never normal. Postpartum incontinence might be common, but that doesn’t make it "normal". Leaking is a sign of pelvic floor and core muscle dysfunction, and it can be resolved with specific rehabilitative exercises, no matter how far postpartum you are or how old you are. Check out my protocol to resolve incontinence here.
“Pushing when you pee helps fully empty the bladder.” Not true! Pushing when you pee can actually cause more harm than good. It strains your pelvic floor and stretches out your urethra. Over time, this can lead to leaking, prolapse, urinary retention, and even UTIs. Instead, take your time and relax when you pee.
“Urgency is always a signal to empty the bladder.” Not always! Sometimes that sensation of urgency can be due to pelvic floor muscle spasm or too much pressure in your abdomen, often from poor posture or poor breathing mechanics. If it has been less than two hours since your last trip to the bathroom, and you haven’t downed more than 8 ounces of fluid, try adjusting your posture and breathing. You might find that the sensation eases.
Understanding Urinary Urgency: 4 Main Reasons
Now, let’s get to the heart of the issue: What exactly causes that sensation of urinary urgency? Here are the four main reasons we get the urge to pee:
- Volume of Urine in the Bladder - As your bladder fills and stretches, it gets heavier and sends signals to your brain, giving your the sensation of urgency and letting you know it’s time to go. This is the most straightforward reason for urgency. Its important to remember that in someone with a normal, healthy bladder and pelvic floor who is adequately hydrated- you should get urgency every 2-3 hours.
- Concentration of Urine in the Bladder - Your bladder is always sensing how much uric acid and nitrogen (ie. toxins) are in your bladder. If you’re not drinking enough water and are dehydrated, the urine becomes more concentrated. The increased levels of uric acid and nitrogen in concentrated urine is irritating to the bladder, and this results in the sensation of urgency. This irritation can make you feel like you need to pee, even when your bladder isn’t full. Highly concentrated urine can also make the intensity of the urgency greater, leading to you feeling like you need to run to the bathroom and possibly not make it in time.
- Tension in Your Pelvic Floor Muscles - A tense and tight pelvic floor can create the sensation of needing to pee, even if there isn’t much urine in the bladder. This tension can be a result of stress, poor posture, or core muscle dysfunction. There are little nerves in your pelvic floor muscles that are responsible for sensing the weight that is placed on them. These special nerves are called "mechanoreceptors". When your bladder is full (heavier) these mechanoreceptors are triggered, and you get the sensation of urgency. However, these mechanoreceptors can also get triggered when the muscles that surround them are very tense and tight. So pelvic floor muscle tension can also lead to the sensation of urinary urgency.
- Organ Position and Intra-Abdominal Pressure - If there’s too much pressure in your abdomen—often due to a tense diaphragm, poor breathing mechanics, poor posture, core muscle dysfunction, bloating, a tipped uterus or other organ positioning issues—it can reduce your bladder’s capacity and make you feel like you need to go more often. Remember, the primary role of your core muscles (pelvic floor, abdominals, diaphragm) is to keep your organs in their optimal position for receiving blood, lymph and nerve flow by properly managing the pressure in your abdomen. When your core muscles are not functioning properly, the pressure in your abdomen increases and your organs become compressed. A compressed bladder has less space to expand and fill, and therefore it's capacity is reduced, and this can lead to increased urinary urgency.
How to Take Control of Your Bladder Health
Feeling like you have to pee all the time isn’t just about your bladder. It could be a sign that your pelvic floor muscles are too tight or that there’s too much pressure in your abdomen. The good news? You can address these issues through a simple protocol that focuses on optimizing bladder health by improving core muscle function through posture and breathing.
You can also reduce urgency by paying attention to your hydration, going on a temporary drinking and voiding schedule to reset your bladder, optimizing gut health and pelvic floor muscle function, and ensuring your daily breathing patterns and posture reduce abdominal pressure.
Check out The Core Recovery Method®. It is a proven, doctor-formulated physical therapy program that teaches these strategies, along with other techniques that address the root cause of bladder issues.
If you suffer from bladder leaking, urgency, frequency, pain with urination, a slow stream, incomplete emptying, recurrent UTIs, or that dreaded “sneeze pee,” you don’t have to live with it forever. I invite you to join The Core Recovery Method®—an incredibly effective online program that guides your step by step through a powerful protocol that will allow you to heal your bladder and pelvic floor naturally.
