Britt Jones
If you thought you knew everything there ever was about how to pee, you might be wrong.
From being told to never hold in your urine, how many times you should aim to go each day, to why you should never pee in the shower- there are a lot of tips experts have dished out to us.
However, there’s something else you need to know about peeing, and this little-known fact could save you from painful infections one day.
Dr Sara Reardon, a pelvic floor physical therapist, recently appeared on Girls' actress Allison Williams' podcast, Landlines.
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Dr Reardon, aka the Vagina Whisperer, shared that there are things you need to stop doing if you want to avoid bladder problems or UTIs.
Now, if you’re lucky enough not to know what a UTI is, here’s what you could be in for if you continue to go against the doc’s advice.
They are Urinary Tract Infections, an infection in the (you guessed it) urinary system.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, the urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract, which is the bladder and the urethra.
Symptoms of this can be painful, including a strong urge to urinate that doesn't go away, a burning sensation when peeing, needing to pee often but only passing small amounts, cloudy urine, red or pink urine, pelvic pain and more.
While easy to treat with antibiotics, if the infection spreads to the kidneys, it can cause serious complications.
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There are many reasons why you could get a UTI, but one of those includes what Dr Reardon is advocating against.
“Don't push when you pee,” she told the podcast hosts. “You need to sit and chill and just let it flow, and only go when you have the urge to go. Your bladder is a muscle that pushes the pee out for you, you can just sit and chill.”
The doctor also explained that you need to steer clear of doing a pesky ‘just in case pee’ or ‘anxious pee or pee every time you cross a bathroom’.
This is because it can cause your 'bladder to shrink and then you'll have to pee all the time'.
While peeing every 'two to four hours' during the day, and up to twice a night is fine, if you can’t do this, it’s a problem.
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According to the National Associate for Continence, there is a right way to fully empty your bladder, and it includes changing how you sit.
The NAC recommends sitting on the toilet with your knees above your hips and your palms on your knees as it ‘helps to relax the pelvic floor making the process easier’.
“You can wait on the toilet an extra minute after you've already urinated then relax and try again,” the website reads.
“Or you can get up, walk around for a bit, then sit down and try again. The most important thing is to not strain during the process.”