WE'VE all been warned to pee before going on a car trip to avoid squirming about in our seat for the whole ride.
But there's a much more sinister reason you should be doing that, than to simply avoid the discomfort of a full bladder.
“Did you know that you should always pee before going on a car trip in order to give yourself the best chance of survival if you get into a car accident?” a physician’s assistant asked in a recent TikTok.
In a video that's since had over 980,000 views, the doctor going by the username @medexplained2you, said this is because is like a balloon, which deflates when you pee.
Meanwhile, holding your wee in causes the balloon that is your bladder to inflate.
“If you get into a car accident with an inflated bladder, you’re more likely to have something called an intraperitoneal abdominal wall rupture,” he said.
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"This is devastating and can lead to a quick death," the doctor stated.
But the TikTok user said that if you happen to get into a car accident and your bladder is empty, it’s less likely to “pop”.
But even if it does, you’re more likely to get an extraperitoneal rupture, which he said is “much less of a big deal.”
Pelvic floor experts have previously warned against holding your pee in during a long car journey, as harmful bacteria can build up and lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI).
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Symptoms of a UTI may include:
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- needing to pee more often than usual during the night
- pee that looks cloudy, dark or has a strong smell
- needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
- needing to pee more often than usual
- blood in your pee
- lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
- a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
Let untreated, UTIs can lead to life threatening sepsis, according to health guru and founder of Kegel8, Stephanie Taylor.
She added that ignoring your bladder for too long can also damage your pelvic floor.
"Holding in your wee too often can cause the muscles in your bladder to lose the ability to contract when you need them to, leading to urinary retention where you can’t empty your bladder – even when you’re bursting to go.
"Not just that but it can also cause uncomfortable dryness (urogenital atrophy) and incontinence – where you pass urine without meaning to."
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