When we conduct a first-day evaluation with a patient, we dive deep into their bladder habits. We ask about how often you go during the day and night, your urine stream, fluid intake, and more. After years of hearing these responses, I’ve noticed several common myths and misconceptions about bladder health that might be doing more harm than good. Here are four misconceptions you should be aware of:

1. Pushing When You Pee

Many patients admit they push to urinate, either throughout or at the end to squeeze out that last bit of urine. Please stop this habit today! Proper urination requires you to relax your pelvic floor muscles, allowing the muscle attached to your bladder to contract and release urine naturally. Pushing isn’t necessary and can actually cause harm. If you feel like you’re not fully emptying your bladder, try these strategies instead: Sit and relax on the toilet, wipe, stand up, then sit and relax again—this is called double voiding. Another option is to rock your hips side to side while seated. Remember, no pushing allowed!

2. Holding Your Urine Too Long

Holding your urine for five or six hours is way too long! If you’re properly hydrated, you should be urinating every 2-3 hours during the day. If you tend to get caught up in tasks and lose track of time, set a timer on your phone or watch for 2-3 hours, and when it goes off, make sure to take a bathroom break. This tip is also great for kids and teens who struggle with bladder leakage.

3. Going Too Often (and Going “Just in Case”)

On the flip side, some patients go to the bathroom too frequently, often “just in case.” This habit can train your bladder to empty at the first sign of urge, leading to increased urgency and frequency. You shouldn’t have to rush to the bathroom at the very first slight urge. Ideally, with proper hydration, you should urinate every 2-3 hours (more often if you’ve consumed a bladder irritant like coffee). Exceptions include preparing to exercise, before a pelvic exam, or right before a long car ride.

4. Decreasing Water to Avoid Leakage

This is one of the most common misconceptions I hear. People with incontinence often reduce their water intake to avoid leakage. While the logic seems sound, the reality is that limiting water can cause your urine to become more concentrated (you’ll know this if your urine is darker yellow). Concentrated urine can irritate the bladder and actually increase leakage! Instead, aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily (so if you weigh 200 pounds, aim for 100 ounces of water).

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With wellness in your pelvis-

Amanda Fisher
Owner, Empower Your Pelvis, a pelvic floor therapist in Kansas City (Overland Park, KS and Lees Summit, MO)