Patient education: Urinary retention – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is urinary retention? — Urinary retention is when you have trouble emptying your bladder (figure 1). This can mean that:

●You can pass some urine, but can't empty your bladder fully.

●You can't urinate at all.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Take care of your catheter, if you have one – You might need to use a catheter to drain your urine. Some people need to use a catheter for a short time, but others need to use them for longer. There are different types of catheters. Some are used when needed, and some stay in the bladder to drain urine continuously.

Your doctor and nurse will give you specific instructions on how to use your catheter. For any type of catheter, you should:

•Wash your hands before and after touching your catheter.

•Keep the area where the catheter goes in clean.

Depending on your situation, your doctor or nurse might also tell you to:

●Do "bladder training" – This is when you urinate at scheduled times during the day. Bladder training might help if you are able to urinate a bit, but not empty your bladder fully.

●Keep track of how much you drink and urinate – Write down:

•When you drank fluids, and how much

•When and how many times you urinate

•If urine leaks out

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go.

When should I call the doctor? — Call your doctor or nurse if you have:

●Signs of an infection – These include a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●Problems urinating – These include pain when urinating, blood in your urine, or being unable to urinate.

●Pain or fullness in your lower belly

●Problems with your catheter (if you have a catheter)

If you are suddenly unable to urinate at all, get help right away.

More on this topic

Patient education: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) (The Basics)
Patient education: Constipation in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence in females (The Basics)
Patient education: Treatments for urgency incontinence in females (The Basics)
Patient education: Pelvic floor muscle exercises (The Basics)

Patient education: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence in women (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Urinary incontinence treatments for women (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Pelvic floor muscle exercises (Beyond the Basics)