Incomplete bladder emptying, sometimes referred to as urinary retention, is a condition where the bladder is unable to completely empty during urination.

This issue creates symptoms such as urinary frequency, fullness or discomfort, and an increased risk of UTI or bladder stones.

Incomplete bladder emptying can range in intensity and can appear gradually or suddenly. Symptoms that occur suddenly and severely should be addressed immediately.

However, for many individuals the condition appears gradually, and is often accompanied by other symptoms. Some additional symptoms one may experience alongside this condition include:

• Difficulty starting a stream
• Difficulty maintaining a stream
• Leakage after urinating
• Feeling the urge to urinate often, even right after using the toilet
• Incontinence

These symptoms can be extremely inconvenient and uncomfortable, and may significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.

Constant restroom trips that only yield small amounts of urine can take up additional time and effort, and fear of leakage can make social outings more intimidating.

Incomplete bladder emptying shouldn’t be ignored, as pelvic floor dysfunction can worsen when left untreated.

Start Healing with Hive

There are many different causes that can contribute to incomplete emptying, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, medications, obstruction (such as prolapse or an enlarged prostate), childbirth, advanced age, or nerve problems created by surgery or injury.

Other preexisting conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or spina bifida can also cause incomplete bladder emptying.

In terms of pelvic floor dysfunction, the muscles of the pelvic floor (which control bladder function) may not be functioning properly due to weakness, tenderness, tightness, inflexibility, or lack of coordination.

If they are too tight, it may be difficult to relax the pelvic floor properly, preventing the bladder from properly emptying. Or, they may be uncoordinated, meaning they aren’t contracting and relaxing correctly or in sync with the bladder—creating difficulty when emptying.

On the other hand, weak pelvic floor muscles may not allow for proper contraction of the bladder, preventing a complete emptying.

Pelvic floor dysfunction can exist alongside many of the other causes of incomplete emptying and can become worse with time.

Because the pelvic floor is very interconnected with other parts of the body, it is very common for dysfunction to be present because of or at the same time as other causes. 

For example, one factor that can make incomplete emptying more likely in an individual is medicine. Some types of medicine can create muscle weakness, affect nerve function, or change your bladder or bowel habits.

All of these side effects can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, and make it difficult to properly empty your bladder.

Therefore, it is very important to gain treatment from a professional so that your symptoms will not worsen and instead will become more manageable.

Your pelvic floor physical therapist will talk through your symptoms with you, and help identify any possible causes and contributors to your condition—and of course, how to manage them better!

There are many different treatments that your physical therapist may utilize in order to help you be better able to fully empty your bladder.

Physical therapy treatment at Hive Therapy and Wellness takes a very holistic, comprehensive, and individualized approach—in other words, your treatment is crafted especially for your needs!

Below, we’ll look at some common treatment methods that Hive physical therapists often use for patients experiencing incomplete bladder emptying:

Pelvic Floor Training: Your physical therapist will utilize many techniques to help better coordinate your muscles, as it is very important for you to be able to activate and relax them properly. This process can include anatomical education, physical exercises, biofeedback, neuromuscular reeducation and more.

Strengthening: If the pelvic floor muscles are too weak, your physical therapist will guide you through exercises and treatments to build strength—which will help the pelvic floor properly contract the bladder during urination.

Relaxing Muscles: If your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, your physical therapist will not only perform manual therapy to help loosen tension in the muscles, but will also help instruct you through relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.

Behavioral Modifications: Your pelvic floor physical therapist can help instruct you through proper bathroom habits and toilet posture, and discourage habits that may be harmful to bladder health.

Education: Your physical therapist will help you better understand your pelvic floor, bladder, and the connection between the two. They may also teach you about bladder irritants, proper fluid intake, and other dietary changes to encourage better bladder health.

Bladder Training: Your physical therapist may recommend that you utilize scheduled voiding as a form of bladder training. Some restroom habits, such as trying to urinate too frequently, can be harmful to your bladder’s health and exacerbate symptoms. Therefore, they will help you better understand healthier restroom habits and urination frequency.

As mentioned before, physical therapists at Hive Therapy and Wellness may utilize many different types of treatment in order to help you better manage your condition and meet your health goals.

Therefore, you can expect any of the following treatments to be included in your comprehensive treatment plan:

• Neuromuscular re-education 
• Manual therapy
• Exercise prescription 
• Behavioral modifications 
• Therapeutic activities 
• Biofeedback