Urinary bladder burst
The myth that the urinary bladder could burst if urine is kept in for too long is still persistent. Before this happens, it literally overflows. The bladder has strain sensors that are irritated from a filling level of about 250 – 500 ml and give the brain the urge to urinate.
If the urine continues to flow because there is no toilet in the vicinity, the urine will initially accumulate in the direction of the kidneys, which can cause back pain. If the urine continues to be kept, in the worst case, wetting occurs. This is because the force of the sphincter muscle is no longer sufficient to stop against the increased pressure caused by the excessive filling.
Although this is unpleasant, it is an important protective mechanism of the body that prevents the bladder from rupturing. In certain cases, this protective mechanism may not be effective because the flow through the urethra is restricted, for example by an enlarged prostate. However, even in this case, the bladder will not burst, since a doctor is consulted beforehand due to the great pain caused by such an over-expansion of the bladder.
This doctor can treat the urinary retention with a bladder catheter and drain the urine. A burst or rupture of the urinary bladder, the so-called bladder rupture, only occurs in connection with accidents. For example, if external force is applied to the filled bladder in a traffic accident, the bladder can be injured.
Symptoms of this are a strong urge to urinate without the possibility of emptying the bladder. The bladder must then be surgically closed again. The first possible cause is overstretching, due to excessive retention of urine.
Even after urination, the bladder can still hurt for a while because the overstretched muscle is still irritated. This pain has no disease value, but should only be provoked in exceptional situations, as chronic overstretching can damage the bladder. The second classical cause is cystitis.
This causes cramp-like pain and a burning sensation, especially when urinating. A rarer cause is urinary retention, a flow disorder of the urine, which occurs mainly in the case of prostate enlargement. Bladder stones can also cause cramping pain when they obstruct the flow of urine.
Ureteral stones, on the other hand, are more likely to cause colicky pain that radiates far and does not affect the bladder in isolation. Further causes are infections in the genital area or the adjacent organs. In women, endometriosis can also be behind the pain.
Endometriosis is the occurrence of endometrium in the wrong place, for example at the bladder. The pain then occurs depending on the cycle.In addition to these benign causes, a malignant cause, such as bladder cancer, must also be considered in cases of long-lasting pain. Long lasting bladder pain or the admixture of blood in the urine therefore always requires medical clarification.
