uk Health & medical scares cannot pass urine • can’t pee at all • unable to urinate suddenly • pee won’t come out • bladder feels full • painful full bladder • increasing lower belly discomfort • acute urine retention • urinary retention emergency • can’t empty bladder • severe urge but no urine • stopped peeing suddenly • distended bladder feeling • pain and bloating low abdomen • after surgery can’t pee • after catheter removal can’t pee • prostate trouble can’t pee • urinary blockage concern • new urinary difficulty with pain

What to do if…
you cannot pass urine and feel increasing discomfort

By PanicStation.org Reviewed under our editorial policy Last reviewed: 21 January 2026 UK guide

Short answer

If you cannot pass urine at all and your discomfort is increasing, go to A&E now. If you’re unsure where to go or need help arranging urgent care, use NHS 111 online or call 111; call 999 if you think it’s life-threatening or you cannot get to A&E safely.

Do not do these things

Do not keep forcing/straining to pee (it can worsen pain and doesn’t fix a blockage).
Do not “try to flush it through” by rapidly drinking lots of water.
Do not take someone else’s medication (including leftover antibiotics or painkillers) to “see if it helps”.
Do not try to insert anything into your urethra or attempt catheterisation yourself unless you have been specifically trained and told to do so for this situation.
Do not ignore this or try to sleep it off.

What to do now

Go to A&E now if no urine is coming out and discomfort is building. This needs prompt assessment and treatment.
Call 999 if you think it’s life-threatening or you can’t get to A&E safely, for example if you are collapsing/fainting, severely confused, or too unwell to travel.
Do not delay leaving.
- If it does not delay you, you may make one gentle attempt to pass urine (no straining), then stop.
- Do not repeat attempts—focus on getting to urgent care.
Bring (or note) details that help clinicians act quickly.
- When you last passed urine; whether none has come out or only drops.
- Any blood in urine, fever/rigors, back/flank pain, recent injury, recent surgery/anaesthetic, pregnancy/postpartum status.
- A list/photos of all medicines (including recent changes), especially opioids, antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, and bladder/prostate medicines.
If you already have a urinary catheter and it has stopped draining: treat it as urgent. Do not pull on it. Go to A&E.
If you have new leg weakness, new numbness around the genitals/inner thighs (“saddle area”), or symptoms after a back injury: treat as an emergency—call 999 or go to A&E immediately.

What can wait

You do not need to work out the cause right now (prostate, infection, medication side effect, nerve issue, stone, etc.).
You do not need to decide on tests, referrals, or long-term treatment today—focus only on being assessed and safely relieved.
You do not need to “manage this at home” first.

Important reassurance

This situation is frightening and painful, and it’s common to worry you’re overreacting. You’re not: a sudden inability to pass urine with increasing discomfort is a recognised urgent problem, and getting prompt help is the right call.

Scope note

These are first steps only—aimed at getting you safely assessed and relieving the immediate problem. Follow-up and prevention depend on the cause and should be handled with a clinician.

Important note

This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or you feel unsafe at home, use emergency services.

Additional Resources

About this guide

PanicStation.org guides are written as plain-English first steps, then reviewed for clarity, jurisdiction, and source quality. If you notice an error, outdated information, unclear wording, or a broken link, please contact us.

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