Do you pee before you get in the car?

Just in case peeing (peeing when you don't actually have to go) can lead to your bladder being overactive. Just in case peeing is when we pee because we are about to get into the car, or because there is a bathroom right there, or because we have time, but not because we actually have the urge to go.

Just in case peeing can lead to pelvic floor issues down the road. It tells your bladder and brain to pee, when your bladder isn't necessarily as full as it should be before emptying. This can lead to urge incontinence or leaking when you have the urge to pee or leaking throughout the day.

The bladder is a muscle. It can expand and it can contract. When it fills with liquid, it expands. It is important for it to be able to expand to allow it to live up to its full potential (no pun intended). You do not want your bladder to be overfull, so it is important to pee every 3-4 hours. However, if you do not have the urge to pee, wait until you do have the urge to allow the muscle to know that it can get bigger.

Before getting into pelvic floor physical therapy, I use to do “just in case peeing” all of the time! I had such a strong urge to pee and when that urge came on, I had zero seconds to get to a bathroom. Therefore, whenever I was near a bathroom, I would go. I am happy to say that I now only need to urinate every 3-4 hours and if I am not near a toilet, I can wait until I get to one.

Our bladders are a muscle and therefore, can expand and contract. They can expand to hold about 800 ml of liquid (although it is not healthy to force your bladder to hold this much all the time). If you are constantly doing “just in case peeing” then your bladder forgets how to expand fully. You should allow your bladder to hold about 400 ml during the day before you pee. This means peeing about every 3-4 hours if your drink between 60-100oz of water. 

If you have a strong urge and "really have to go” before the 3 hour time is up, there are some techniques you can use to help hold off the urge. 

One technique is a simple exercise of just pointing your toes. That is right, pointing your toes helps tell your bladder and brain that you do not have to go. 

How is that possible, that moving your feet will help decrease your urge? The never that goes to the bladder comes out of the spinal cord along a similar pathway as the nerve that goes down to your ankle. So just by moving your feet, you are affecting the nerve to the bladder.

Next time you have to pee, try this and see if it helps you hold off the urge to pee right away. 

Next time you are about to get into the car, ask yourself if you really have to pee, or if you are just peeing because you have a toilet near you. If it is the later, wait until you get to your destination and see if you have to pee then. Chances are, you might not even have to pee when you arrive at your destination.