Urine is produced by the kidneys to help eliminate excess waste as your body digests food and uses nutrients, and to maintain the body’s fluid and acidity balance.
You have to urinate because the kidneys filter the blood removing waste and alter the composition of the waste. It mostly contains excess water that was used to help breakdown the nutrients into products that your body could use. Some of the products removed from the blood cells are urobilin, which give your urine its yellow coloring.
Sensation to Urinate but Nothing Comes Out, What's Wrong?
The whole day you may have the sensation to urinate but nothing comes out, or it may be just a small drop. Other times you may want to pee, but it has a burning sensation. There are many causes for all of these issues. Below we will explore a few of these causes.
UTIs
The most prominent symptom of an UTI is the sensation to urinate but nothing comes out. An UTI is a urinary tract infection that can be painful at times but may also make you say, “I always have to pee but not a lot comes out.” An UTI is extremely annoying and may be accompanied by a burning sensation or pressure along the pubic bone. The pain or the burning sensation is caused by a bacterial infection in your urinary tract that creates inflammation.
Once your bladder is inflamed and irritated, you may not be able to pee regularly, causing more irritation from spasms. When your bladder muscle expands and contracts even when your bladder is not full, you will have the sensation to pee. The burning sensation occurs because the bladder and the passageway through which the urine exits the body, called the urethra, are infected.
Most of the time, drinking lots of fluids will help the infection go away; however, if it is severe enough, you may need to visit your doctor. Your doctor will be able to prescribe an anti-biotic to help clear the bacterial infection.
Kidney Stones
Excess acids and salts that are not flushed from your kidneys form together and cause kidney stones. There are a variety of reasons that your kidney may have excess acids and salts. The entire part of your urinary tract that connects the kidneys to the bladder may be affected by the stones. Most of the time the kidney stones are formed because the urine is extremely concentrated, which allows the minerals to crystallize and form small stones. It can be very painful to pass these stones.
You may have a kidney stone without any symptoms until it begins to move around. Once it moves within your kidney or into your urethra, you will begin to have the symptoms. Here are some symptoms that may occur:
- A severe cramping sensation just below the back of your ribs
- Severe pain between your lower abdomen and groin
- Irregular pain occurrences and intensities
- Pain when you urinate
- Urine that is pink, red, or brown
- Urine that has an extreme foul odor and is cloudy
- Vomiting and nausea
- Constant sensation to urinate but nothing comes out
- Constant urination
- Fever and chills
Mostly, drinking large amounts of fluids will help flush the stones from your body. You may take pain medication to help ease the pain symptoms, but the stones themselves generally pass on their own. If the stones become lodged, too large, or create other complications, then you may need surgery to help remove the stones. Whichever way you try to eliminate the stones from your body, it is important to talk with your doctor. They can help you prevent more kidney stones from developing.
Other Possible Causes
Although urinary tract infections and kidney stones are the most common causes for having the sensation to urinate but nothing comes out, there are many other reasons that there is not much urine coming out.
Some of the other common reasons that you may have a sensation to urinate frequently and urgently include:
- Consuming too much liquid
- Drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages
- Diabetes
- Excess pressure on the bladder due to pregnancy
- Enlargement or infection of the prostate
- Anxiety and stress
- Using Diuretics
- Bladder infections
- Overactive bladder
- Infection of the vagina
Less common reasons:
- Nervous system disorders such as stroke
- Cancers and tumors
- Radiation therapy in the pelvic area
- Urinary tract damage
When to Worry If You Have Sensation to Urinate but Nothing Comes Out
The need to frequently urinate is a symptom for many infections, injuries, or other medical inquiries. The habitual sensation of needs to relieve your bladder develops over time.
It is possible that your frequent urination is normal as long as you do not have other medical symptoms or diseases. However, most of the time it is a symptom of another health issue. It is important that you visit your doctor if you have any thought that it may be a symptom of an underlying health issue or if it’s out of the ordinary for you.
You definitely need to visit your doctor if other symptoms are occurring alongside your need to frequently urinate.
Seek medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms along with the constant sensation to urinate:
- It’s affecting your lifestyle
- There is blood in your urine
- You have cloudy urine or it stinks
- You are fatigued, feverish, or have chills
- There is pain in your abdomen
- Sudden loss in weight
- Increased hunger and thirst
- Discharge from penis or vagina