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Weak Urine Flow, Who Knew
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Weak Urine Flow, Who Knew
I know, it’s not a pretty topic, but its an intersting one.
But thanks I happened to come across a post about this today from to Dr. Berg. And yet again, it’s a good reminder that sometimes it’s worth digging deeper rather than simply accepting the usual explanation when we notice a problem.
Over the years I have always heard that a weak urine stream is just part of aging or automatically blamed on prostate issues in men or childbirth and aging in women.
But the discussion today pointed to something that doesn’t get mentioned very often: the Detrusor muscle, the smooth muscle in the bladder responsible for contracting and pushing urine out. (All new to me)
A few interesting points that were raised:
• A weakened detrusor muscle can contribute to weak urine flow
• Long periods of sitting may affect it (which made me think about people with desk jobs)
• Insulin resistance and frequent high-carb snacking may play a role
• If urine flow improves after drinking coffee, it may suggest a nervous-system component affecting bladder smooth muscle
• If the issue mostly appears at night or early morning, circadian rhythm and light exposure might be factors
So I decided I needed to know a little more about this muscle, I have added some info in the comments.
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7 Replies
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Hi Helen, were you going to attach some info or links in the comments? Maybe I missed them. Thanks.
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Thanks so much @biostats4all …I got distracted 😊 but doing it now.
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What exactly is the detrusor muscle?
The detrusor muscle is the smooth muscle that forms the wall of the bladder. Its main job is to contract when it’s time to urinate and relax when the bladder is filling.
How it works:
As the bladder fills, the detrusor muscle stays relaxed so the bladder can expand.
When the nervous system signals that it’s time to urinate, the muscle contracts.
That contraction pushes urine out through the urethra.
If the muscle becomes weak or poorly coordinated, symptoms can include:
• weak urine stream
• difficulty emptying the bladder
• frequent urination
• feeling like the bladder never fully empties
Because it’s a smooth muscle controlled by the autonomic nervous system, things like metabolic health, nerve signaling, and even circadian rhythm may influence how well it works.
An interesting video from Teach Me Anatomy https://teachmeanatomy.info/pelvis/viscera/bladder/
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I’ve had overactive bladder for many years. My urologist prescribed 2 meds for OAB, neither worked very well, and dried my mouth horribly. I looked online for natural solutions and found 2.
First is ground flaxseed. I bake it into low carb muffins or pancakes or waffles, or mix with kefir and maybe some flavorings, and eat with breakfast and dinner. I don’t need to urinate as often when I do this. And no bladder leakage.
The second thing I discovered is pumpkin seed. I got pumpkin seed oil capsules online, and take them with dinner, and can sleep maybe 4-5 hours without waking to go urinate. That’s a miracle! And I’m sleeping better. I looked it up, and pumpkin seed can help with sleep.
Both must be doing what the meds are supposed to do – relax the bladder muscles so it can hold more urine.
I have a dog with spay incontinence, it happens occasionally when a dog has been spayed. It’s the lack of estrogen, I think, that causes it. I read that it would stop the incontinence, and it does! From the first night, no more incontinence during the night! She weighs around 60 lbs, and gets maybe 1 tbsp with each meal. It has to be ground, and pretty fresh, both for me and for the dog.
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The experiences mentioned with Flaxseed and Pumpkin seed are interesting, and those foods have been studied for various health effects. For example, pumpkin seed extracts have been explored in some research looking at urinary symptoms and bladder function…
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Another post about this. If you feel like your bladder isn’t emptying completely, this is common, especially with older women. My urologist told me to do what’s called “double peeing”. Pee, wipe, then stand up. I move around a little bit. Then sit down and pee again. That will help empty the bladder. And lean forward when sitting on the toilet. That repositions the bladder so it can empty more easily.
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Love these tips from the community.
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