Is it bad to hold your pee? - Heba Shaheed

譯者: Ann Chen 審譯者: 易帆 余

It begins with a bit of discomfort

憋尿開始時有一點不舒服

and soon becomes a pressing sensation that's impossible to ignore.

不久後就變成無法忽視的壓迫感

Finally, it's all you can think about,

最後，尿急是唯一你能想到的事

and out of sheer desperation,

並且非常急迫地

you go on a hunt for a bathroom until "ahh."

需要去尋找洗手間，直到「啊」

Humans should urinate at least four to six times a day,

人每天至少排尿 4 至 6 次

but occasionally, the pressures of modern life forces us to clench and hold it in.

但現代生活的壓力迫使我們 有時候不得不憋尿

How bad is this habit, and how long can our bodies withstand it?

這種習慣有多糟糕 而我們的身體能憋多久？

The answers lie in the workings of the bladder,

答案就在膀胱的運作原理

an oval pouch that sits inside the pelvis.

膀胱是骨盆內的一個卵圓形囊袋

Surrounding this structure are several other organs

環繞這個構造的還有其他器官

that together make up the whole urinary system.

共同組成整個泌尿系統

Two kidneys,

兩個腎臟

two ureters,

兩條輸尿管

two urethral sphincters,

兩個尿道括約肌

and a urethra.

及一個尿道

Constantly trickling down from the kidneys is the yellowish liquid known as urine.

從腎臟持續徐徐流下的是 稱為「尿液」的黃色液體

The kidneys make urine from a mix of water and the body's waste products,

腎臟從水和身體廢物的 混合物中製造出尿液

funneling the unwanted fluid into two muscular tubes called ureters.

滴漏出這無用的液體

進入兩條肌肉管子──即「輸尿管」

These carry it downward into the hollow organ known as the bladder.

往下進入一個 稱為「膀胱」的中空器官

This organ's muscular wall is made of tissue called detrusor muscle

這器官的肌肉壁是由 「逼尿肌」的組織所構成

which relaxes as the bladder fills allowing it to inflate like a balloon.

當尿液注入膀胱時，逼尿肌會放鬆

讓膀胱能像氣球般膨脹

As the bladder gets full, the detrusor contracts.

當膀胱脹滿，逼尿肌就收縮

The internal urethral sphincter automatically and involuntarily opens,

尿道內括約肌會自然而然地張開

and the urine is released.

讓尿液排出

Whooshing downwards, the fluid enters the urethra

呼咻一聲，尿液向下流進尿道

and stops short at the external urethral sphincter.

在尿道外括約肌之前突然止住

This works like a tap.

這運作就像水龍頭

When you want to delay urinating, you keep the sphincter closed.

當想延遲解尿時，你就緊閉這括約肌

When you want to release it, you can voluntarily open the flood gates.

當要解尿時 你可自主地打開水閘排尿

But how do you sense your bladder's fullness

但怎樣才能意識到膀胱滿了沒有

so you know when to pee?

而知道何時去解小便呢？

Inside the layers of detrusor muscles are millions of stretch receptors

逼尿肌的內層 有數百萬個「牽張接受器」

that get triggered as the bladder fills.

當膀胱填充時會被觸動

They send signals along your nerves to the sacral region in your spinal cord.

它們沿著神經傳送訊號 到薦椎區的脊髓

A reflex signal travels back to your bladder,

然後會有一個反射訊號傳回至膀胱

making the detrusor muscle contract slightly

使逼尿肌輕微地收縮

and increasing the bladder's pressure so you're aware that it's filling up.

還有膀胱壓力增加 使你感覺到它脹滿了

Simultaneously, the internal urethral sphincter opens.

同時，尿道內括約肌打開

This is called the micturition reflex.

這稱為「排尿反射」

The brain can counter it if it's not a good time to urinate

若現在不方便解尿 大腦能抑制這反射

by sending another signal to contract the external urethral sphincter.

傳送另一個訊號 使尿道外括約肌收縮

With about 150 to 200 milliliters of urine inside of it,

膀胱內尿量達到 150 到 200 毫升時

the bladder's muscular wall is stretched enough

就足以伸張膀胱的肌肉壁

for you to sense that there's urine within.

讓你感受到有尿液在裡面

At about 400 to 500 milliliters, the pressure becomes uncomfortable.

大約 400 至 500 毫升時 尿意的壓迫感令人感到不舒服

The bladder can go on stretching, but only to a point.

膀胱可以繼續擴張，但是有極限

Above 1,000 milliliters, it may burst.

超過 1000 毫升就可能爆裂

Most people would lose bladder control before this happens,

大多數人在爆裂發生前 膀胱就會失控

but in very rare cases,

但在極罕見的情況

such as when as a person can't sense the need to urinate,

例如一個人無法感覺需要排尿

the pouch can rupture painfully requiring surgery to fix.

這嚢袋可能會疼痛地破裂 而需要外科手術來修補

But under normal circumstances,

但在正常情況下

your decision to urinate stops the brain's signal to the external urethral sphincter,

你要排尿的決定會阻止大腦 向尿道外括約肌傳送訊號

causing it to relax and the bladder to empty.

這使得外括約肌放鬆 並使膀胱內的尿液排光

The external urethral sphincter is one of the muscles of the pelvic floor,

尿道外括約肌是骨盆腔底的肌肉之一

and it provides support to the urethra and bladder neck.

它支撐尿道和膀胱頸

It's lucky we have these pelvic floor muscles

幸好有這些骨盆腔底的肌肉

because placing pressure on the system by coughing,

因為當咳嗽、打噴嚏、大笑 或跳躍導致加壓於此系統時

sneezing,

laughing,

or jumping could cause bladder leakage.

會造成膀胱漏尿

Instead, the pelvic floor muscles keep the region sealed

而骨盆腔底的肌肉會密封此部位

until you're ready to go.

直到你方便解尿為止

But holding it in for too long,

但憋尿太久

forcing out your urine too fast,

排尿太快

or urinating without proper physical support

或解尿時缺乏適當的身體支撐

may over time weaken or overwork that muscular sling.

久而久之可能讓 這肌肉懸帶衰弱或過勞

That can lead to an overactive pelvic floor,

如此會導致骨盆底部過度活動

bladder pain,

膀胱疼痛

urgency,

尿急

or urinary incontinence.

或尿失禁

So in the interest of long-term health,

所以為了長期健康著想

it's not a great habit to hold your pee.

憋尿不是好的習慣

But in the short term, at least, your body and brain have got you covered,

但至少短時間來說 身體和大腦會協助你

so you can conveniently choose your moment of sweet release.

讓你能方便地選擇愜意解尿的時間