I always have to pee or can’t pee

Feeling like you have urinate (pee) often—more than 5–7 times a day and/or at night, or more than once every two hours—can not only be frustrating, but can affect your daily activities. Not being able to pee can be equally concerning and in rare cases can affect your kidney function.

Both can be symptoms of medical conditions, medication and/or age, among other reasons.

The following are some common reasons you may be peeing too much or having difficulty peeing.

Overactive bladder is the name given to symptoms that can be described as a sudden and intense need to pass urine (pee) that cannot be put off. This can happen even when your bladder is not full.

Typical symptoms of an overactive bladder include:

• Frequency – Going pee many times during the day (usually more than seven), which works out to more than once every two hours
• A sudden, strong urge to pee, so much so you may not make it to the toilet in time and may leak. This is called urge incontinence.
• Nocturia – Waking up more two times or more each night to go to pee.

Learn more about overactive bladder

The Pelvic Floor Project – Episode 15 – Overactive bladder with urologist Dr. Jennifer Locke

Also known as urinary retention, the inability to empty is a condition where your bladder doesn’t empty all the way, or at all, when you pee. This condition can be sudden (acute), which is a medical emergency, or long-term (chronic). Blockages, medications and nerve problems can cause urinary retention and in rare cases can affect your kidney function.

Learn more about causes, diagnosis and treatment

Also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH is more common as we age.

Symptoms may include:

• Frequent urination (peeing)
• Waking up at night to pee
• Inability to delay urination
  • Feeling unable to empty bladder
  • Delay in starting to pee
  • Straining to pee with a weak stream
  • Peeing that stops and starts
  • Loss of control (urinary incontinence)
  • Painful to pee
  • Blood in pee
  • Inability to pee (acute urinary retention)

Learn more about enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia)

Nocturia is a condition that causes you to awaken two times or more during the night to urinate (pee). This can disturb your sleep. Nocturia becomes more common as we age. 

Learn more nocturia symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatments 

Although it might feel embarrassing, share your concerns with your current health-care provider: family doctor, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist and/or occupational therapist. They can discuss treatment options with you or refer you to another health-care provider. Your family doctor who may refer you to a specialist urologist, gynecologist or urogynecologist.

Physiotherapists
For some of these conditions, physiotherapists can help assess your symptoms and offer treatments.

To find a physiotherapist in your area:

• Go to Find a Physiotherapist in British Columbia on the Physiotherapy Association of BC website
• Under “By Areas of Practice” select Pelvic Floor and/or Women’s Health

Nurse continence advisors

Nurse continence advisors have training to help you with your bladder issue. There are also continence clinics in some parts of the province.

To find a nurse continence advisor in your area:

• Go to the Canadian Continence Foundation website
• Under Resources, click “Locate a Professional”
• Use the Filter feature to find a clinic in your location