Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you needed to pee but could not use a restroom? A lot of times, especially in public, during an office meeting or an interview, we come across such circumstances, while sometimes we hold pee to not embarrass ourselves socially, or just because of the lack of facilities. Doing that often may not be good for our health.

How much pee can a person hold?

The urinary bladder is a hollow, pear-shaped organ that forms part of the urinary system. The bladder's role while is to store urine, it also releases once the limit is crossed, which is around one pint or two cups of liquid. However, under certain circumstances, it can stretch to hold more than this.

We start to fee the urge to urinate when it is filled halfway.

What can happen if you hold your pee long too often?

When you hold your pee too often, your bladder stretches and the muscle weakens. As time pass by, it can become difficult for your bladder to empty it completely. This can lead to urinary retention, and being unable to fully emptying your bladder.

Discomfort Due To Holding Pee

Pain

Ignoring the urge to pee regularly can lead to pain or discomfort in the bladder or kidneys. When you eventually make it to the bathroom, urinating might feel painful.

Additionally, the muscles involved in holding urine may remain partially tense even after you’ve emptied your bladder, potentially causing pelvic cramps.

Urinary Tract Infection

One of the most common discomforts caused by holding in pee for too long is Urinary tract infection. It can cause bacteria to multiply.

As per the Urology Care Foundation, people should avoid holding in pee for extended periods, as it increases the risk of UTIs. Dehydration, poor personal hygiene, and certain medications can also increase the risk of developing a UTI.

Common symptoms of a UTI include:

• A burning or stinging sensation during urination
• Pain in the pelvis or lower abdomen
• A persistent urge to urinate
• Strong or foul-smelling urine
• Cloudy or discolored urine
• Consistently dark urine
• Blood in the urine

Bladder Stretching

As mentioned before, in long run, regularly holding in pee could cause the bladder to stretch and make it difficult or sometimes, impossible for the bladder to contract and release pee.

If someone has a stretched bladder, sometimes, extra measures like a catheter could also be necessary.

Damage to Pelvic Floor Muscles

Regularly holding in urine can strain and potentially damage the pelvic floor muscles.

One key muscle, the urethral sphincter, helps keep the urethra closed to prevent leaks. Damage to this muscle may lead to urinary incontinence. Performing pelvic floor exercises, like Kegels, can help strengthen these muscles, repair damage, and reduce the risk of leakage.

Kidney Stones

For individuals prone to kidney stones or those with high mineral levels in their urine, holding in pee may contribute to stone formation. Urine naturally contains minerals like uric acid and calcium oxalate, which can crystallize and form stones over time.

Patient should not be afraid to ask what type of lung cancer, Stage and spread of disease whether it has spread and what is stage of disease, This information helps direct treatment decisions and provides insight into the future prospective of disease status .

The patient should self designate a Trustee who will take care of her Medical Records , fixing up appointment and be responsible for medication administration. A diagnosis of lung cancer can be shocking and worrisome, but knowing what to expect can help patients make more informed choices.

The first lesson is that lung cancer can be very different from patient to patient. Treatment depends on the type, stage as well as genetic changes and health.

Ask About The Exact Diagnosis

Molecular Testing Can Change Treatment

For lung cancer patients some patients will require testing the tumour for specific Molecular markers which help in deciding type of immunotherapy . Before beginning treatment, patients should be asked for if they have had the appropriate tests done for fitness before therapy.

Treatment Is Not Always Just Chemotherapy

Modern lung cancer care may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted medicines and immunotherapy, often in various combinations. The best treatment will depend on the type of cancer and the health of the patient.

Also read: What Is Driving India's High Burden Of Childhood Cancers?

Symptoms and Side Effects Should Be Reported

Patients should not quietly accept worsening shortness of breath, pain, fever, severe weakness, poor appetite or side effects of treatment. Early communication can assist doctors in managing complications and maintaining quality of life.

Supportive Care Matters Too

Palliative or supportive care is not just for the end of the cancer course. It can be given along with cancer treatment to help manage symptoms, improve emotional wellbeing and increase everyday comfort.

Above all, I do not think that a diagnosis means there are no options. The treatment of lung cancer is changing rapidly and the results can vary greatly from patient to patient. Ask questions, clarify, and understand treatment plan and when appropriate, get a second opinion before making major decisions.

Breastfeeding is important not only for babies' health and nutrition but also for protecting mothers from serious diseases, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

It urged governments to strengthen access to services and interventions that support breastfeeding as part of World Breastfeeding Week, observed annually from August 1–7.

The 2026 theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works," focuses on tracking progress, evaluating impact, and scaling proven approaches that improve breastfeeding outcomes.

Breastfeeding Could Save Hundreds of Thousands of Lives

"Scaling up breastfeeding could prevent almost 400,000 child deaths and around 140,000 maternal deaths each year," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a joint statement.

"Every US$1 invested in breastfeeding promotion generates an estimated US$59 in economic returns through lower health-care costs, improved cognitive development, higher educational attainment, and increased lifetime earnings," they added.

Health Benefits for Babies and Mothers

The experts noted that breastfeeding is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect a child's health. It provides infants and young children with essential nutrition, boosts immunity, helps protect against serious illnesses, and supports cognitive development.

For mothers, breastfeeding also offers significant health benefits by reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as breast and ovarian cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

Global Breastfeeding Rates Have Improved

The WHO said breastfeeding rates have improved globally due to sustained investments in policies and programs supporting mothers and families.

Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months increased from around 37 per cent in 2012 to more than 47 per cent today. Over the past five years, the prevalence of breastfeeding up to two years of age has risen from 38 per cent to 50 per cent.

Progress Remains Uneven

Despite these gains, the WHO said many countries continue to lag behind global targets.

"Coverage of services supporting breastfeeding remains low, policies are inconsistently enforced, and service quality is often inadequate, especially in low-income, fragile, and humanitarian settings," the WHO said.

The agency noted that cost-effective interventions include skilled breastfeeding support within health systems, community-based counselling, maternity protection policies, and protection from the exploitative marketing of commercial milk formulas.

WHO, UNICEF Call for Stronger Support

WHO and UNICEF called on governments, health systems, workplaces, communities, civil society organizations, and families to strengthen the "Warm Chain of Support" for breastfeeding.

During World Breastfeeding Week, the agencies urged countries to:

• Strengthen health systems to provide quality breastfeeding support for mothers and newborns.
• Expand community-based counselling and peer support programs.
• Fully implement and enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
• Invest in paid maternity leave and supportive workplace policies.
• Integrate breastfeeding interventions into antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal health-care services.
• Sustain breastfeeding support in humanitarian and fragile settings.

"Breastfeeding is vital. By investing in proven solutions, we can give every child the best possible start in life and ensure every mother gets the care and services she needs," the agencies said.

A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health–Southeast Asia has found that India accounts for 68% of all childhood cancer cases in the SAARC region.

While the country's large child population contributes to the high numbers, experts say underdiagnosis and incomplete cancer registration may mean the actual burden is even greater.

An international team of researchers, including from the US, India, and Canada, estimated that nearly 37,700 children aged up to 14 years were diagnosed with cancer across South Asia in 2022, with 17,700 deaths reported. India alone accounted for an estimated 25,939 cases and 12,028 deaths.

The researchers noted that because cancer registration remains incomplete, particularly in rural areas, the true number of childhood cancer cases in India could exceed 50,000 annually.

India's Large Child Population Drives Numbers

India is home to more than 380 million children, accounting for nearly 69% of the child population in the SAARC region. This naturally contributes to the country's higher share of childhood cancer cases and deaths.

However, experts emphasize that population size is only part of the explanation. Delayed diagnosis, limited access to specialized treatment, and gaps in cancer registration continue to affect both disease estimates and patient outcomes.

Leukemia Most Common Cancer

Dr. Narendra Agrawal, a leading Hematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician and Senior Consultant and Unit Head of Haemato-Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, told HealthandMe that childhood cancer remains a major public health concern in India.

"Current estimates suggest that around 70,000–80,000 children and adolescents develop cancer each year, although the exact number remains uncertain due to expanding cancer registration systems". The most common childhood cancers in India include:

• Leukemia
• Lymphomas
• Brain tumors
• Bone tumors

What Causes Childhood Cancer?

Unlike many adult cancers, most childhood cancers do not have a clearly identifiable or preventable cause. Dr. Agrawal explained that, in most children, cancer develops because of genetic changes that occur during early development. These changes are usually not linked to lifestyle factors or inherited from parents.

Recognized Risk Factors

Although the causes of most childhood cancers remain unclear, some well-established risk factors include:

• Ionizing radiation: High-dose exposure before birth or during childhood increases the risk of leukemia and certain other cancers.
• Genetic syndromes: Conditions such as Down syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and neurofibromatosis increase susceptibility to specific childhood cancers.
• Certain infections: Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is associated with some lymphomas, HIV increases lymphoma risk, and chronic hepatitis B infection raises the risk of liver cancer.
• Environmental and parental exposures: Tobacco smoke, certain chemicals, pesticides, and some occupational exposures have been investigated as possible risk factors, although evidence remains inconclusive.

Challenges Beyond Disease Burden

Dr. Agrawal said India's substantial childhood cancer burden is largely driven by its population size. However, improving outcomes requires addressing several systemic challenges.

Key issues include:

• Delayed diagnosis
• Limited access to specialized pediatric oncology services in some regions
• Treatment abandonment
• Incomplete cancer registration