Difficulty Emptying the Bladder (Voiding Dysfunction)
Difficulty emptying (voiding dysfunction) is when you find it hard to get started, finish or completely empty your bladder. You might have a delay in getting started or a complete inability to empty (urinary retention). Some people don’t even realise they aren’t fully emptying.
Difficulty emptying your bladder is common, especially with age. And it’s also more common in men. So, if you are experiencing this issue, you’re not alone.
Voiding dysfunction issues often develop gradually, and many people live with them for years – not realising that help is available. When left untreated, it can become a source of ongoing frustration and distress, affecting everyday life, from work and exercise to social situations. You might feel anxious about needing the toilet or self-conscious about how long it takes once you’re there.
There’s no need to suffer in silence.
You’ll be happy to know there’s good news. Our experienced postgraduate qualified pelvic health physiotherapists can help treat this condition, so there’s no need to suffer in silence. Most people having difficulty emptying can be helped. And at Pelvic Health Matters, Melbourne, we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Voiding dysfunction is common, especially with age and more so in men. If you have difficulty emptying your bladder, don’t worry – our postgraduate-qualified pelvic health physiotherapists can help.
Common signs & symptoms of difficulty emptying
Everyone’s different, but if you have difficulty emptying, you’re probably familiar with some of the following.
- Difficulty getting started
- Taking a long time to urinate with a slow stream or one that stops and starts
- Having to strain to empty your bladder
- Feeling like you haven’t emptied properly
- Having to return to the toilet soon after urinating
- Leaking after you’ve finished urinating, when you’re getting dressed or leaving the toilet
- Feeling worried or anxious about going to the bathroom, especially when out in public
- Limiting your fluid intake so you don’t need to go to the toilet
Risk factors & causes of difficulty emptying
- Enlarged prostate
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Constipation
- Poor pelvic floor muscle function
- Poor fluid & toileting habits
- Neurological conditions, e.g. stroke, Parkinson's disease, MS
- Ageing
- Anxiety
- Post-surgical
Our Proven Pathway for Treating Difficulty Emptying
Discover what matters
You’re assessed as a whole person
To begin, we take the time to understand all of you – not just what’s going on physically. So, your postgraduate qualified pelvic health physiotherapist will collect the following information:
- QUESTIONNAIRE: You’ll complete a pelvic health questionnaire online before your first visit. This helps us understand about your history, current health concerns and what matters to you.
- 1-on-1 CONSULTATION: We’ll take the time to learn about you and your difficult emptying. We believe a holistic approach enables us to understand how your specific physical, emotional and lifestyle factors influence your pelvic health.
- THOROUGH ASSESSMENT: This includes a pelvic floor examination, a bladder scan, and filling out a bladder and fluid intake diary and questionnaires to understand your thoughts, feelings and environment.
- CONNECTING THE DOTS: Now that we’ve discovered so much about you and your difficulty emptying, we can explore how it all fits together. This might mean understanding how your prolapse or enlarged prostate is relevant and how anxiety about your problem might be making it hard for you to relax on the toilet.
- SET GOALS: We’ll help you set meaningful pelvic health goals such as:
- Spend less time on the toilet
- Not spend forever in the bathroom when I’m out with friends
- Feel confident using the urinal
- Empty my bladder so I don’t have to return so soon
Restore what matters
You’ll have a personalised pelvic health plan.
This is where the real progress begins. Together, we’ll choose the best research-proven treatment options that suit your lifestyle. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how your bladder functions, how it’s influenced by your thoughts and emotions, what might be going wrong – and most importantly, how to make it better. We'll use your bladder diary to get insights into your bladder and fluid habits. Then, we’ll give you fluid intake advice and start bladder emptying strategies.
Next, we’ll start Pelvic Floor Muscle Training. You’ll learn new skills and connect with hidden muscles that you didn’t know you had. You’ll have an individualised program based on your needs. And importantly, you’ll learn to relax your pelvic floor muscles when needed. You will also have strategies to feel calm and relaxed both inside and outside the toilet. Plus, you’ll have excellent resources and tools to help you progress.
ABOUT YOUR APPOINTMENTS: Together, we’ll work out how often we should see each other. We’ll agree on what works best for you, your commitments and your finances.
Enjoy what matters
You’ll be living your best life.
The final step is ensuring you reach all the meaningful goals you set at the start of your journey. Along the way, you might discover new opportunities you hadn’t thought of before—whether it’s enjoying a night out at the MCG with friends, feeling confident about going to the theatre or even planning a trip overseas. You’ll be equipped with the skills to manage bladder emptying in any situation, without needing to come back for more appointments.
Sometimes, though, life’s ups and downs might mean you need to return for a reset. You might experience a stressful life event, or you may have tummy troubles, making bladder emptying trickier. Whatever the case, we’ll always be here to help you.
Read about Lisa 30 yrs, Geoff 41 yrs
More info on difficulty emptying
Blog Articles
- Having trouble peeing? You might have “shy bladder syndrome”
- Bladder Interrupting Your Sleep? It Could Be A Canary In A Coal Mine!
- Do you have pain in your bladder, rush to the toilet or go too often?
- Let’s Talk About Vaginal Prolapse
- 5 Tips To Keep Your Bladder Happy and Healthy At Home
- Busting Myths About Fluid Intake
Other Related Conditions
Pelvic Health Matters
New name.
Same exceptional care.
Formerly known as Women’s & Men’s Health Physiotherapy, our new name reflects both what we believe in and what we do. We have an unwavering belief that pelvic health matters for everyone, at every stage of life.
Same phone number: 03 8823 8300
New email: physio@pelvichealth.com.au