The renal system (aka urinary system) is the bodily device that produces and eliminates urine. When all is well, you pee freely and don’t think much about it. When things go awry, you notice right away becauase, well, you’re probably fond of that area and an alarm sounds when you perceive issues that could affect your daily routine or your sex life.
We found a handful of things that might sound the aforementioned alarm and potential causes. If it’s us, we’re heading to the doctor’s office as soon as possible if we experience any of these for an extended period of time. But we’re also hypochondriacs.
I HAVE TO PEE EVERY 2 SECONDS
Feeling the need to spring a leak every few minutes can be infuriating and bothersome when you’re trying to do activities such as go to bed, watch a movie, and live life like a normal human being who doesn’t need to piss all of the time. While urinating eight times is considered “normal” by many experts, sometimes frequent urination is due to the body flushing out excess glucose (it’s common among diabetics). Another possibility is prostate enlargements or even cancer. The enlarged prostate presses on the urethra, causing a sense of urgency and difficulty urinating. Lastly, maybe you’re just drinking too much water. The recommendation for active people is half of your body weight in ounces. Sucking down more could leave you overhydrated, causing more trips to the bathroom. If frequent urination is getting in your way, like travels and work, look into using protective products, like adult diapers. It’s also best to consult a doctor about your condition.
THERE IS BLOOD IN MY URINE!
If you’ve experienced blood in your urine, or hematuria, as eggheads call it, you’ve probably had this type of reaction: “HOLY SHIT THERE IS BLOOD COMING OUT OF MY PENIS!” And rightfully so. This might stem from engaging in high-intensity exercise or injury to the urinary tract. (If you’re in the paint and take an swat to the nuts, the blood could be aftermath.) It’ll go away.
Another option is that you’ve developed kidney stones. In this case, the blood is the least of your worries because kidney stones are goddamn awful — you’ll eventually pee out a “stone” out of your pee hole. (Yes, that’s a technical term, but one of our editors has had two kidney stones and swears it’s the worst pain he’s ever experienced — even worse than the time Jack Bauer wrongfully tortured him for info.) You’ll want to go to the doc for the stones, but they’ll drug you up and it’ll be less awful.
Next: IT’S A WEIRD COLOR
