Urine and Urination

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Summary

Your kidneys make urine by filtering wastes and extra water from your blood. The waste is called urea. Your blood carries it to the kidneys. From the kidneys, urine travels down two thin tubes called ureters to the bladder. The bladder stores urine until you are ready to urinate. It swells into a round shape when it is full and gets smaller when empty. If your urinary system is healthy, your bladder can hold up to 16 ounces (2 cups) of urine comfortably for 2 to 5 hours.

You may have problems with urination if you have

Kidney failure
Urinary tract infections
An enlarged prostate
Bladder control problems like incontinence, overactive bladder, or interstitial cystitis
A blockage that prevents you from emptying your bladder

Some conditions may also cause you to have blood or protein in your urine. If you have a urinary problem, see your health care provider. Urinalysis and other urine tests can help to diagnose the problem. Treatment depends on the cause.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

Urinary Tract and How It Works (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Urination Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Urine Color (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Urine Odor (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Diagnosis and Tests

Collection of a 24-Hour Urine Specimen (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)
Urine Culture (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
Urine Cytology (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Urine Metanephrines (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
Urodynamic Testing (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Treatments and Therapies

Caring for Your Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tube (National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center) - PDF
Urinalysis: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Urinary Diversion (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Specifics

Fainting during Urination (Micturition Syncope): What Causes It? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Foamy Urine: What Does It Mean? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Frequent Urination (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Urinary Retention (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Genetics

Genetics Home Reference: Ochoa syndrome (National Library of Medicine)

Health Check Tools

Frequent Urination (DSHI Systems)
Pain During Urination (DSHI Systems)
Urine Color Change (DSHI Systems)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Dysuria (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Urination (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Urination Disorders (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Urine (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

Urination Pain (Nemours Foundation)
Urine Blockage in Newborns (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
Urine Test: Dipstick (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Men

Urinary Dysfunction (Prostate Cancer Foundation)

Seniors

Bladder Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Patient Handouts

Clean catch urine sample (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Frequent or urgent urination (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
RBC urine test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urinalysis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urinary catheters (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urinary Retention (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Urinating more at night (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urination - difficulty with flow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urination - painful (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urine - bloody (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urine 24-hour volume (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Urine odor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish