The inability to expel urine from the bladder is called urinary retention. If urine is completely retained in the bladder, it is called complete urinary retention. If there is residual urine after urination, it is called incomplete urinary retention. Acute onset is called acute urinary retention, during which the bladder is painful and urine cannot be expelled; slow onset is called chronic urinary retention, which is often painless and usually accompanied by a small amount of persistent urination, also known as pseudo-incontinence.
There are many causes of urinary retention, which can generally be divided into obstructive and non-obstructive types. Obstructive urinary retention is caused by diseases such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, urethral stricture, bladder or urethral calculi, tumors, and other diseases that block the neck of the bladder or urethra, leading to urinary retention. Non-obstructive urinary retention refers to the absence of organic lesions in the bladder and urethra, and urinary retention is caused by dysuria. Conditions such as brain tumors, brain trauma, spinal cord tumors, spinal cord injury, peripheral neuropathy, and surgery and anesthesia can all cause urinary retention.
