Frank
Hello, this is Frank.
I teach an online course called Spanish Conversation Lessons in English, and among my students is Dr. Masami Takeyama, a leading global expert in female urology. Today, I’ll share insights from him about the bladder.
Have you ever noticed how urgent bathroom visits become before important events—exams, job interviews, or sports competitions? The same happens before long bus rides. This interplay between urinary urgency and psychology is why the bladder is often called “the window to the soul.”
As children, we were warned: “Holding in your pee causes bladder infections!” This early conditioning shapes our lifelong relationship with urination. However, modern medicine reveals a twist: moderate urine retention doesn’t cause infections and can strengthen the bladder, helping treat frequent urination or incontinence.
The bladder has a unique ability to expand without increasing internal pressure—especially in women—a phenomenon termed “high compliance”. Initial urges (“first sensation”) occur at 100–150 mL of storage. Remarkably, even after this signal, the bladder continues filling. Thanks to the urethral sphincter, it can hold over 300 mL without leakage. Maximum capacity—the point of unbearable urgency—reaches around 400 mL.
Urination involves relaxing the sphincter while the bladder’s detrusor muscle contracts to expel urine. Critical insight: Habitually emptying the bladder at the first sensation trains it to store less, functionally shrinking its capacity.
Conclusion: Delaying urination strengthens the bladder. This wisdom from Dr. Takeyama is worth remembering.
For further reading, explore his book:
Revised Edition: A Guide to Female Urology—Treatments & Surgeries for Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Incontinence, and Interstitial Cystitis.
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改訂2版 女性泌尿器科へ行こう! : 骨盤臓器脱・尿もれ・間質性膀胱炎の治療と手術を受ける人へ 新品価格 |
If you’re interested in my published books, feel free to check them out here.
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