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5 Reasons Why Bladder Feels Full But not Much Urine.

5 Reasons Why Bladder Feels Full But not Much Urine.

Our content is not intended nor recommended as a substitute for medical advice by your doctor. Use for informational purposes only.

1. Urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infection commonly occurs in the urinary bladder (acute cystitis), causing inflammation of its wall. The irritation of the bladder wall will make your bladder feel full without much urine.

So, the frequent urge to pee without much urine is one of the main features of UTI, especially in females.

Risk factors for UTI (reference):

  • Females: UTI is extremely common in females due to the following:
    • Shorter distances between the urethral opening and the bacteria (from poop).
    • The area around the urethral opening is always moist.
    • Hormonal changes with contraception and during pregnancy.
    • The urethral opening is closer to the anal opening (bacteria that cause UTIs are often from the bowel).
  • Recent sexual intercourse.
  • The use of spermicide-coated condoms or diaphragms.
  • Diabetes mellitus.
  • The use of urinary catheters.
  • After a kidney transplant (mainly due to immunosuppressive drugs).

Symptoms of UTI:

  • In Dysuria (painful urination), the pain is often greater at End end of urination due to the causes mentioned above.
  • Frequent urge to pee, but only small amounts of urine come out in each
  • Persistent urge to pee despite the recent emptying of the bladder (your bladder often feels full, but not much urine comes out).
  • Bladder pain (in the lower abdomen) is greatest when the bladder is full.
  • Your urine may appear turbid or cloudy.
  • Bloody urine.

In some people, the urinary tract infection may exceed the urinary bladder and reach the kidney. UTI involving the kidney is a more serious form of UTI with additional symptoms such as:

  • In Dysuria (painful urination), the pain is often greater at End end of urination due to the causes mentioned above.
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2. Urinary bladder stones or gravels.

The presence of a stone inside the urinary bladder also causes irritation of the urinary bladder wall. Also, tiny stones (gravels) inside the urinary bladder usually have the same effect.

Patients with stones or gravels in their urinary bladder typically feel full with the recurrent urge to pee but no much urine comes out.. Also, the presence of stone or gravel may predispose it to infection.

Symptoms of a urinary bladder stone:

5 Reasons Why Bladder Feels Full But not Much Urine.

  • Small stones or gravel may pass with urine.
  • Frequent urge to pee (feeling full bladder), but no much urine comes out.
  • Difficulty urination or interrupted flow.

3. Interstitial cystitis (bladder pain syndrome).

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome is a chronic disease with symptoms similar to UTI (without evidence of UTI) (reference).

It is a relatively common disease affecting women after their thirties more than men.

The exact cause is still unknown, but it can be why urine hurts after the end of urination.

Symptoms:

  • Persistent bladder pain or discomfort, particularly when it is full.
  • The pain can be felt in different sites ( lower abdomen, urethra, perineum, and lower back.
  • The pain may be associated with dysuria (during urination and at End end).
  • The recurrent urge to urinate.
  • Frequent urination during the daytime and at night.
  • Painful intercourse.
  • More than 50% of patients with painful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitis have depressive symptoms (reference).
  • Other associated symptoms include irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and sexual dysfunction (reference).

Cystitis is a long-lasting disease. Therefore, its diagnosis is established only after excluding other causes of dysuria and bladder pain.

4. Bladder cancer.

Urinary bladder cancer is common, especially in elderly males. The presence of a cancer mass may irritate the bladder wall and may decrease its capacity. So, patients with bladder cancer often feel full bladder and only pee small amounts of urine.

Risk factors of bladder cancer in females (reference).

  • Cigarette smoking.
  • Being older (more than 50).
  • Being male (males are
  • Opium use.
  • Occupation exposure to carcinogens as with metal workers, painters, rubber industry workers, leather workers, textile and electrical workers, miners, cement workers, transport operators, excavating-machine operators, and jobs that involve the manufacture of carpets, paints, plastics, and industrial chemicals.
  • Genetics also plays a role.
  • Schistosomiasis infection (common in north Africa and Japan).

Symptoms & diagnosis:

  • Early bladder cancer may present with irritative symptoms such as painful urination (dysuria), the urgency to urinate, or frequent urination.
  • Feeling full bladder all the time, only a little urine comes out.
  • Bladder cancer typically causes painless urine bleeding (intermittent attack).
  • Blood is often present throughout the urination.
  • Bladder pain in the lower abdomen.
  • Dysuria or pain after the end of urination.
  • Signs of metastasis may also exist, such as bone pain, abdominal pain, liver pain, headache, or blurring of vision.
  • Weight loss, anorexia, and other systemic symptoms may also present.

5. Prostatic diseases (BPH and prostatitis).

In males, the prostate is a small organ that lies just below the bladder (around the urethra). Inflammation, enlargement, or prostate tumors may lead to burning urination and difficulty in urination.

For example, about 9% of males experience some prostatitis over a year. So it is a very common condition.

https://doctor-explains.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/prostatis-is-common.jpg

Symptoms:

  • Prostatitis can be acute or chronic.
  • The main symptom is pain (pelvic, perineal, testicular, penile).
  • In males with Benign prostatic hypertrophy, The enlarged prostate may compress the urinary bladder leading the feeling of a full bladder, but only a little urine comes out.
  • Painful urination (which may worsen at End end of peeing).
  • Difficulty urination (not able to pee). In severe cases, prostatitis may lead to urine retention.
  • Lower back pain.
  • Pain when the seminal fluid comes out.
  • In severe cases, fever and chills may occur.

Learn More about prostatitis.

4. Interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome is a chronic disease with symptoms similar to UTI (without evidence of UTI) (reference).

It is a relatively common disease affecting women after their thirties more than men.

The exact cause is still unknown, but it can be why urine hurts after the end of urination.

Symptoms:

  • Persistent bladder pain or discomfort, particularly when it is full.
  • The pain can be felt in different sites ( lower abdomen, urethra, perineum, and lower back.
  • The pain may be associated with dysuria (during urination and at End end).
  • Recurrent urge to urinate.
  • Frequent urination during the daytime and at night.
  • Painful intercourse.
  • More than 50% of patients with painful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitis have depressive symptoms (reference).
  • Other associated symptoms include irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and sexual dysfunction (reference).

Cystitis is a long-lasting disease. Therefore, its diagnosis is established only after excluding other causes of dysuria and bladder pain.

5. Others.

  • Bladder schistosomiasis.
  • Overactive bladder in elderly females.
  • Radiation cystitis.
  • Neurologic diseases such as spinal cord lesions.
  • Compression outside the urinary bladder, as with late pregnancy, BPH, and pelvic tumors.
  • Anxiety.
  • Vaginal atrophy and vaginal infection.
  • Medications that irritate the urinary bladder.

 

  • Evidence-based
  • Written by a doctor.

MD, Internal Medicine and Nephrology specialist.
Dr. Esraa A. Magid
Dr. Esraa A. MagidAuthor

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