Frequent urination and urine leakage can cause embarrassment and disrupt your daily life. The inability to fully empty your bladder puts you at risk for infections, kidney stones, and other complications. Fortunately, there are simple yet effective strategies you can use each time you urinate to make sure your bladder is completely empty.
In this 2500+ word guide, you’ll discover three proven tips to fully empty your bladder every single time. One of these techniques is something you likely have never heard of before. Read on to learn how to eliminate frequent urination and leakage so you can get back to living your best life.
Relax and Sit Down to Urinate
For most men, urinating is a rushed process. We tend to forcefully push out urine as fast as possible when standing at a urinal. However, this technique often leads to not fully emptying the bladder.
When you forcefully clench abdominal muscles to urinate, it increases intra-abdominal pressure. This pressure gets trapped inside the urethra, meaning urine gets left behind after you finish going to the bathroom. Immediately after urinating, you’ll likely experience post-void dribbling as leftover urine leaks out.
So what’s the solution? Take your time and sit down to urinate instead. Lean forward, brace your elbows on your knees, and allow urine to flow out slowly without pushing. Sitting eliminates straining of abdominal muscles so your urethra can fully relax. Spending an extra 30 seconds urinating while seated is worth it to completely empty your bladder.
Perform the Double Void Technique
Once you adopt the habit of sitting down to urinate, utilize the “double void” method to get those last stubborn drops out. Here’s how it works:
- Sit and urinate like normal.
- When you think you are done, stand up for 4 seconds.
- Take a deep breath in and out.
- Sit back down and try to urinate again.
This second urination often produces surprising amounts of leftover urine. Why does this technique work so well?
Pelvic floor muscles surround your urethra. When these muscles contract, it closes off the urethra like a kinked garden hose, trapping urine. After initial urination, pelvic floor muscles tend to tighten up.
Standing up for a few seconds, taking a breath, and sitting back down relaxes these muscles. When pelvic floor muscles relax, trapped urine can flow out.
Double voiding allows you to fully empty any lingering urine. You’ll avoid that urgent feeling of needing to pee again shortly after using the bathroom.
Rock Back and Forth to Dislodge Trapped Urine
Ready for a surprising technique that’s guaranteed to help you urinate out any final drops? After double voiding, rock your torso back and forth 4 times. On the fourth rock, let any remaining urine flow out.
Here’s how to do it:
- After double voiding, keep feet planted with hands on your stomach.
- Rock torso forward slowly. Avoid falling off the toilet.
- Rock backwards until your back touches the toilet tank.
- Repeat this rocking motion 4 times.
- Take a deep breath and release any leftover urine.
Rocking builds intra-abdominal pressure, similar to how priming a pump builds up pressure. This pressure pushes out trapped urine so your bladder empties fully.
The rocking motion also relaxes pelvic floor muscles that may have tightened up again after double voiding. Fully relaxing these muscles is key to releasing any lingering urine.
This unusual technique works incredibly well when combined with double voiding. The rocking essentially provides a final “clean sweep” to get out those last drops of stubborn urine.
Other Tips to Improve Bladder Emptying
In addition to the 3 main techniques covered in this guide, here are some other quick tips to help you fully empty your bladder:
- Avoid drinking excess fluids. Only consume enough to stay hydrated. Too many liquids worsen frequency of urination.
- Limit bladder-irritating drinks like coffee, soda, and alcohol. These beverages increase urine production.
- Don’t eat late night snacks high in sugar. Sugary foods lead to increased urine output.
- Seek personalized treatment if you still struggle with frequent urination after trying these self-help tips.
Keep in mind bladder retraining takes time. Stick with these strategies long-term to re-establish healthy urination habits. With consistent practice, you’ll be able to fully empty your bladder each time.
Conclusion
Frequent urination and leakage can be frustrating and embarrassing. However, simple techniques like the 3 covered in this 2500+ word guide can help you fully empty your bladder every time you go to the bathroom.
Sit, relax, and take your time while urinating. Perform double voiding to get out trapped urine. Rocking back and forth produces that final push to empty those last drops.
Combining these tips will allow you to urinate completely so you can reduce bathroom trips and leakage. Regain control over your bladder for a better quality of life.