Clinical signs of Urinary Retention

Care Plan Nursing

Urinary retention is a buildup of urine in the bladder due to the inability of the bladder to empty the bladder.

The main symptoms of acute urinary retention is no urine output for several hours and there is a distended bladder. Clients who are under the influence of anesthetics or analgesics may only feel pressure, but clients are aware of the great pain due to bladder distension beyond its normal capacity. In severe urinary retention, bladder can hold 2000 to 3000 ml of urine. Retention caused by urethral obstruction, trauma surgery, changes sensory and motor nerve stimulation of the bladder, side effects of medication and anxiety.

Clinical Signs of Urinary Retention:

• Inconvenience for the pubic area.
• Distended bladder.
• Inability to urinate.
• Frequent urination when the bladder contains little urine (25-50ml).
• The imbalance in the amount of urine output and intake.
• Increasing concerns and the desire to urinate.
• The presence of urine in the bladder 3000-4000ml.

Urinary retention can cause an infection that can result from excessive bladder distension, impaired blood supply to the bladder wall and the proliferation of bacteria. Impaired renal function may also occur, especially when there is obstruction of the urinary tract.