Peeing is one of the many involuntary bodily functions of the human body. When you have to go to urinate, the nerve endings in your bladder naturally send signals to your brain, and that is your cue to head to the bathroom.

Under normal circumstances, a healthy individual does not need to force himself to pee, unless it is required for a medical test. But, if you are facing trouble peeing, such as not being able to go, having to go frequently, leaks, or pain, then there might be a reason to worry.

A couple of health conditions can cause difficulty in urinating or keep you from peeing. While some are minor and can be dealt with, many others can be a sign of something serious.

This article will take you through each of the probable causes that can cause urination-related problems. Let’s begin.

Why Can’t I Pee?

Some of the most commonly known conditions that cause difficulty peeing are diabetes, kidney stones, STIs, prostate-related ailments, UTIs, and more.

1.  Urinary Incontinence

If you often experience urine leakage and feel like you cannot control your bladder, you might have urinary incontinence (UI). This condition can be further divided into three different types:

1. Stress Incontinence – This type of condition arises in humans when the muscles that control urine become weak. You may leak your urine in cases when you lift a heavy item, cough, sneeze, bend, or walk.

2. Overflow Incontinence – In this condition, your body produces far more urine than your bladder can hold. As a result, your bladder becomes incapable of emptying itself properly, so it overflows and causes your urine to leak.

3. Overactive Bladder – When you have an overactive bladder, your brain instructs the bladder to empty itself even if it doesn’t need to. Subsequently, this urge causes you to feel like you instantly need to pee, thereby making you go quite often.

Urinary incontinence is common to both men and women. The reason why it might occur in men may be due to prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. When it comes to women, UI may arise because of several reasons.

These include hysterectomy (the surgical removal of the uterus), pelvic organ prolapse, menopause, childbirth, or pregnancy.

It is highly likely that you might suffer from UI as you age. Over time, the muscles in your bladder lose their ability to hold urine as efficiently as they used to.

Also, it can arise for men and women who are dealing with obesity, as extra weight induces pressure on your bladder. So, you may feel the urge to pee long before your bladder is full.

2. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

A urinary tract infection can be developed when certain bacteria enter any part of your urinary tract. In humans, the urinary tract comprises the kidneys, urethra, and bladder.

If you happen to have a UTI infection, you may experience a severe burning sensation while peeing. Additionally, you might also feel the need to head to the washroom more often, but when you do, only a little pee comes out.

3. Prostate-Related Issues

The prostate is an active part of a man’s reproductive system and is positioned right beneath the bladder. It borders the urethra, which is a tube that carries your urine from the bladder to the outside of your body. Various conditions can negatively impact the prostate, leading to urine-related problems.

Some of these are listed below:

1. Prostatitis – In this condition, you may experience inflammation in or around the prostate area. It can cause extreme pain, both during or after you pee. Furthermore, it might also force you to pass urine more often, and give you a hard time holding it.

2. Enlarged Prostate – This condition is also referred to as “Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia” or “BPH.” When you have an enlarged prostate, you might have to go to pee more frequently, especially throughout the night. It also leads to leakage of urine. If you happen to suffer from this condition, you might face trouble starting to pee and have a weak spurt when you go.

4. Type 2 Diabetes

People diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes often suffer from urine-related distress and have to pee more often. This is because this ailment pushes excess sugar to build up in your bloodstream, causing your kidneys to work harder to extract the sugar.

When they fail to keep pace, the sugar runs down your urine and also carries other fluids from your body. So, the more you urinate, the thirstier you get. As a result, you feel like having more fluids, and this, in turn, makes you have to pee even worse.

5. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Certain sexually transmitted infections, such as trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, can induce pain or burning sensation when you urinate.

6. Presence Of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are made up of minerals that form the insides of your kidneys. When a hard, small kidney stone passes through your ureter (the tube carrying urine from your kidneys to the bladder), it can cause issues such as:

1. Having to pass urine in small amounts
2. Frequent need to urinate
3. Foul-odored urine
4. Cloudy urine
5. Brown, red, or pink-colored urine
6. Pain while peeing
7. Unbearable pain in the back or sides

7. Being on Medication

Being on certain medications can also create issues while peeing. A number of drugs may facilitate bladder problems.

Some of these include antihistamines, muscle relaxants, heart medications, high blood pressure medications, diuretics, sedatives, and antidepressants.

8.  Blockage

Different kinds of conditions can create a blockage in your ureter, making it difficult for you to pee. A blockage can also induce blood in your urine.

Blockages can occur due to any of the reasons mentioned below:

1. Cancerous or non-cancerous tumors
2. Endometriosis – A disorder in women that causes the uterus-lining tissue to grow in other areas inside the body
3. Chronic constipation
4. Congenital issues (conditions you’re born with) that cause an impact on your urinary system
5. The presence of a stone anywhere in the urethra, ureter, or kidney

Summing it Up

This was all about some of the most common reasons why you probably have a hard time peeing. In many cases, such conditions are treatable.

However, it’s important to remember that symptoms such as the presence of blood in your urine or experiencing severe pain, nausea, and vomiting should never be taken lightly.

Always be on the lookout for such signs, and contact a healthcare professional for an early diagnosis.