Should a man urinate sitting down? The urologist says straight

Should a man urinate sitting down? Do men pee more than women? Like some mammals, do they feel the need to mark the area with their urine? Such questions, half-seriously asked, were faced by Dr. Przemysław Dudek, urology specialist at SCM clinic in Krakow and deputy head of the Department of Urology and Oncology Urology at the University Hospital in Krakow. And on more serious issues, he pays attention to what should be worrying about urination.

1. – Urinating is a very delicate and intimate activity. It is best to do it in peace, without haste, without pressure, and what is very important – in maximum hygienic conditions – says Dr. Przemysław Dudek, urologist
2. Ideally, this should be done seven or eight times a day – adds the specialist
3. The color of the urine must not be too dark and the smell must not be unpleasant, emphasizes Dr. Dudek
4. You can find more such stories on the Onet homepage.

Adrian Dąbek, Medonet: Should a man urinate sitting down?

Dr Przemysław Dudek, urologist: This is a very good question. There is no complete suit for this. It seems, however, that standing urine is more physiological for men. There is no research on this.

So it has nothing to do with prostate hygiene.

It has more to do with the physiology and statics of the pelvis. I guess we’re more designed to urinate standing up (and that’s how it has been through the years of evolution) than sitting down. Contrary to appearances, animals also have different ways of urinating. It is not that both sexes urinate in the same way. Many men urinate sitting down mainly for reasons of hygiene and cleanliness, some older men urinate sitting more easily, and some worse. There is no clear research on this. But this is an interesting point, maybe it should be done.

What else should men keep in mind when urinating? I mean mechanics.

From an early age, we should teach children some habits. Because in recent years it turned out that children should urinate in a specific way. Both legs should rest on the ground, not with any hanging legs, because such strange habits can produce various types of neurogenicity. From an early age, you also need to remember not to interrupt the stream of urine, not to pinch the urethra for fun, which can be very fun at first, and then it turns out that an artificial bladder obstruction is created, and our entire urinary system is self-regulating and responds with certain mechanisms to the problems that arise. Stopping the stream, pushing the belly, should all be eliminated.

The rest of the article under the video.

So, in short, we’re not playing with our urination tool?

We express urine naturally, preferably when we are relaxed and not stressed. Some people are so sick that they cannot urinate in a public toilet or in front of a stranger. There are such diseases and we should treat them. A friend even told about the case that the patient fell into alcoholism because he could not urinate outside the intimate place. And he started drinking because of it.

1. Prof. Flogging: We are unable to delay the onset of prostate cancer

We are therefore dealing with a psychological rather than a physiological problem.

Exactly. Because you have to remember that this is a very delicate and intimate activity. This is best done calmly, without rushing, or pushing. And what is very important – in maximum hygienic conditions, so as not to stain our organs with various unpleasant substances. Therefore, it is worth washing your hands also before, and not only after. We’re used to just washing our hands after. But it’s also worth it before. But we do not always manage to make it on time, because some patients have detrusor overactivity and when they grab the door handle, they have a problem with urine retention. Besides, when we start to push the belly and see that we urinate well only when we get tense, this is one of the signals that we should see a GP, and even better – a urologist.

Coming back to that hygiene at the place of urination. Women are often said to be reluctant to use public toilets. Does that mean the gentlemen are safer? Less likely to get infections?

Intimate infections are unlikely to be associated with public restrooms. They occur at the earliest during sexual contact. It’s not easy to catch syphilis or gonorrhea in a dirty toilet. This is a bit of an exaggeration. But it’s always a good idea to wash your hands so as not to spread bacteria on your organs that are quite sensitive.

Does a man have to urinate more often than a woman?

Absolutely not. We should give back the same number of times. It’s not exactly established, but it should be up to seven to eight times a day. If we give back more times, it is already beyond the regularity. But remember that it is based on the Gaussian curve. It is individualized. One will be happy to urinate every hour, another will say that he is concerned because he urinates twice a day. But these are extremes, they can be pathological.

1. How many times a day should you pee? See what should worry you

Urinating seven to eight times a day is normal. Of course, with a night break. We should not urinate at night because the kidneys then produce much less urine. This is the mechanism that gives us a few to eight hours of sleep. Getting up a new one to urinate shows that we have bad habits. Or we drink too much fluids, often alcohol, at night, which is not a good solution. Or some problems start, for example with the prostate gland, or worse, with the bladder itself.

I asked about the difference in urination frequency a bit half jokingly, half seriously. Because I meant a situation when a group of people of both sexes goes and a man has to use this bush sometimes. And the woman will bring you to your destination. But this is probably due to the ease of doing this?

I think so. After all, at parties where there is a toilet, ladies go to it as often, especially in the company of friends. Contrary to appearances, both sexes should urinate equally often. Every two hours or so. And the volume of this urine should be about 200 ml at a time, although this is not fully specified. However, 50 ml, which is a glass, is not enough.

This is another question that is not entirely serious. Does man, or the human species, also feel the need to mark the terrain with urine?

I do not know about that. I don’t feel such a need (laughs). But that’s a good question. I have to think about it.

1. Are you urinating in the shower? The doctor appeals: it is very bad for your health

Let me explain why this question comes from. A man, let’s say sitting on a plot of land, has several meters to walk to the toilet, but closer to him is a tree or a bush, so he does it there.

Maybe he thinks it’s more hygienic there. But in a moment this place may be less hygienic, as instead of just one person, dozens or hundreds of others will start to take care of it. We are a species of which there are too many and from this all kinds of problems arise.

And the temperature does matter? I will come back to this tree. Is it safe for a man to urinate in a cool aura?

There is no proven relationship, but any urologist will say: Dress warmly, especially for patients with prostatitis. It may be because – I have theorized – that cooling causes vasoconstriction and poorer penetration of all white blood cells, but this is only my theory. It’s not like we’ll catch a cold if we put our penis in the cold air.

1. «Strange» effect when urinating. This is an alarm from the body, especially for a man

Should we watch our urine?

Definitely. Any color change should worry us. The smell is a bit less, because some of us certainly like to eat asparagus and then smell this unpleasant smell. It doesn’t say that every change in smell is a bad thing, sometimes it comes from our diet. But any deviation from the norm is worth investigating. Especially if the urine becomes red. This is a cause for serious concern. Unfortunately, many patients disregard it, thinking that it is a matter of beetroots eaten before, and then it turns out that it is not beetroot but bleeding from bladder cancer. This cancer is recognized too late in our country.

It is also worth looking at the specific gravity of urine. Because we often drink too little and the weight is too high, which translates into stone formation. The urine is thickened, it contains many substances that crystallize and we develop kidney stones, which is a problem. I always tell my patients, especially those with urolithiasis, that their urine should be light, almost like water. Or a straw one. It can not be thickened, orange.

What other color can urine be?

Urine colors may vary, it is associated with taking various medications. It can be blue, green, brown, burgundy, light yellow. This can be due to medications, but also due to a variety of genetic disorders. It’s not that if someone has a genetic defect related to the metabolism of purines, it means that they will urinate once in a good color and sometimes in a bad color..

The color must not be too dark, the smell must not be unpleasant, urination should be natural, free. There can also be no burning when urinating. Burning or pain could indicate an infection, which is a pathology for a guy. While in the case of women it can be said that this coil is short and it is the gateway to infection, in men the coil is longer and all kinds of urinary tract infections manifested by pain or burning indicate pathology. In this case, you need to see a doctor, especially a urologist. And if there are relapses, we already have a signal that there is a serious problem.

1. What changes in the body does the color of urine signal?

And urine clarity is also important?

In a way, yes, but it is usually associated with eating certain foods. If a lot of plant foods are ingested, this may later be the case. However, if we drink the right amount of fluids, it will not be cloudy. But if the urine foams too much, it could be a sign of protein loss or lipid problems, for example. Any deviation from the norm should prompt us to visit a doctor. At the moment, we do not have guidelines for the prophylactic urine test, but I repeat that the state should be able to afford to check basic parameters, blood pressure, cholesterol, and urine from a certain point. Because it helps prevent many diseases.

Is urine pressure related only to the prostate gland?

It is related to the bladder obstruction, first. Second is whether the bladder is shrinking. If the pressure is weak, it may indicate several problems. It can be an enlarged prostate, it can be defects and narrowing of the urethra, but it can also be a problem with a detrusor, a bladder that contracts badly. This may suggest various diseases, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

1. What does frequent urination show?

Likewise, frequent urination, in the absence of any discomfort, may indicate excessive contractility of the bladder. It also requires treatment or checking what the cause is. We must always rule out any neoplastic problems. Urination is influenced by the bladder and prostate gland, its color, pressure, frequency of urination or pain.

Is there any optimal volume of urine delivered daily?

It all depends on how much we drink. And it’s not that if we drink two liters, we pass two liters of urine. This is not the case, because several hundred ml of fluid escape from the lungs, and we sweat with the faeces. So there will be a difference. However, we should drink 1,5 – 2 liters of water a day, which gives us 1-1,5 liters of urine.

Apparently, the duration of a single urination is also important.

Yes, because it shows the capacity of the bladder, but also about a possible obstacle. If the bladder is constricting and the urine stream is narrow, it may actually be a problem with the prostate gland.

1. Clear urine – what can it mean?

I will also ask about urine hygiene. What to eat, what not to eat, what to avoid to make this urine as normal as possible?

It is very important to drink the right amount of fluids. Urinate naturally, do not keep the urine in the bladder, do not become tense. If we notice anything that worries us, see a doctor, it concerns color, frequency, pain, pressure, diameter, length of donation.

And what is the awareness or prophylaxis of men in Poland related to this?

Getting better. This must be said. We know more and more about it, despite everything we try to care for. But still ladies think about it more often for us. This is very good, our ladies must be commended for sending you to a urologist.

Because gentlemen are still afraid to take a peek there?

Of course it is, but I always tell my patients to be happy that everything is at their fingertips and that you don’t need any strange instruments, or a few meters long apparatuses. This is not a terrible study, it is unnecessarily demonized by many men. It is not a traumatizing examination, everything takes place in an intimate setting. But it does not begin to be performed until the age of 40-50, unless something happens earlier in younger men.

This test is necessary after the age of 40-50 because of the possibility of detecting prostate tumors, which become the second or first cancer in men. The society is aging and men will be more and more likely to develop this cancer.

Read also:

1. Prof. Caning: Are We Prepared for the Prostate Cancer Epidemic?
2. If a father, brother or grandfather has been ill, the risk increases up to ten times