The debate over peeing in the shower continues, with many advocating for the practice due to its water-saving benefits. However, Dr. Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, a pelvic health specialist, warns that for those assigned female at birth, this habit could have unintended health consequences.
The Water Conservation Argument
One of the strongest arguments for urinating in the shower is its potential to save water. By eliminating the need for a separate toilet flush, a person could save approximately 2,190 liters (579 gallons) of water per year. If the entire U.S. population adopted this practice, it could lead to an annual water savings of 699 billion liters (185 billion gallons). This significant reduction in water consumption highlights the environmental advantages of shower urination.
Potential Health Risks: The Pelvic Floor Connection
Despite the environmental benefits, the potential health consequences of this habit must be considered. Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas explains in a TikTok video that regularly peeing in the shower may lead to pelvic floor and bladder control issues.
The Pavlovian Response
Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas likens this habit to Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiment, where dogs learned to associate the sound of a bell with food. Similarly, repeatedly urinating in the shower can train the brain to link the sound of running water with the urge to pee. This association may result in involuntary urination triggered by running water sounds, such as a faucet, toilet flush, or even rain.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Risks
For individuals with existing pelvic floor dysfunction, this learned association can exacerbate bladder control problems. Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas explains that urinating while standing in the shower does not allow the pelvic floor muscles to fully relax, potentially leading to incomplete bladder emptying. Over time, this can contribute to urinary retention and increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Some argue that squatting while urinating in the shower might alleviate pelvic floor strain. Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas acknowledges that a full squat position allows for better pelvic floor relaxation, but she still advises against making shower urination a habit. If one must urinate in the shower, a proper squatting position is preferable to standing.
Why Doesn’t Toilet Flushing Trigger the Same Response?
A common question is why flushing the toilet doesn’t condition the brain in the same way. Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas clarifies that by the time a person flushes the toilet, they have already urinated, so no association is formed. However, individuals who struggle to resist the urge to urinate when exposed to running water may already have underlying bladder control issues.
Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition, particularly among women. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that support the bladder, uterus, rectum, and other organs. Dysfunction occurs when these muscles become too weak or too tight, leading to symptoms such as:
- Urinary and bowel incontinence
- Lower back pain
- Pain during intercourse
- Increased urgency or frequency of urination
Factors such as childbirth, surgery, aging, obesity, and high-impact activities can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction. Given that urinating in the shower might worsen symptoms, individuals should be aware of these risks before adopting the habit.
The Biological Factor: Why Female Anatomy Matters
Dr. Jeffrey-Thomas emphasizes that those with female anatomy are not designed to urinate while standing. Unlike male anatomy, where the positioning allows for better bladder emptying while standing, females may struggle to fully relax the pelvic floor in this position. This can lead to incomplete bladder emptying, increasing the risk of UTIs and other urinary complications.
Pros and Cons of Peeing in the Shower
Pros:
- Water conservation: Reduces toilet water usage significantly.
- Convenience: Saves time, particularly during a rushed morning routine.
Cons:
- Pelvic floor health risks: May contribute to bladder control issues and pelvic dysfunction.
- Conditioned response: Can create an involuntary urge to urinate when exposed to running water.
- Sanitation concerns: While urine is mostly sterile, it can still contain bacteria that may pose hygiene risks.
The Bottom Line
While peeing in the shower may seem like an eco-friendly and convenient habit, it is important to weigh the potential health risks. Dr. Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas’s insights serve as a reminder to consider the long-term effects of our daily routines. Striving for sustainability should not come at the cost of personal health. Ultimately, making an informed decision based on both environmental and health factors is key to maintaining overall well-being.
Little Boy Brings Food To Beggar & His Dog Daily, One Day Boy Sees Dog Barking On His Doorstep – Story Of The Day
A policeman’s son befriends a homeless man and his dog and brings them food every day. Then the dog appears unexpectedly and alerts him to an injustice.At twelve, Brian Devlin was small for his age, and not very athletic. His father, Gary, didn’t really understand his shy, bookish son. His son was nothing like him…
He had been a tall, strapping, boisterous boy, always up to his ears in mischief. Gary tried to build his son’s self-confidence, but the harder he tried, the more Brian seemed to pull away.
Brian was smart, that Gary couldn’t deny, and he had a scholarship at a prestigious private college on the other side of town. The boy was scared of taking a bus, but since the school was close to his work, Gary picked him up every afternoon.
Gary was a desk Sargeant at the local precinct, and by the time his work ended at 5:00 p.m., the school day was long over. In the winter, Brian waited in the library and did his homework. But in the summer, he sat on the school steps and waited for his dad, soaking up the sunshine.
One afternoon, when Gary arrived, Brian wasn’t on the steps. He was outside the school gates petting a dog. Brian looked up at his dad with a happy grin.
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are.
“Look, Dad,” he cried, then he said to the dog, “Dance!”
The dog hopped up onto its back legs and did a little jig, front paws up in the air and its tongue lolling out happily.
“Isn’t that so cool?” the boy asked.
“Yes,” Gary said, surprised by the enthusiasm Brian was showing. “Whose dog is that?”
“It’s Carl’s,” Brain said, and pointed at a man sitting on the pavement and leaning back against the school fence. The man was in his forties and he was clearly homeless.
A ragged bundle of blankets lay on the ground next to him, and he was unshaven. The dog, however, was well cared for. It was a Golden Retriever, and its fur was groomed and gleaming.
The man shrank back when Gary looked at him, so he said to his son, “Come on, now, it’s time to go.”
On the way home, Gary said, “Listen, Brian, I want you to stay away from that man and his dog, OK?”
“Carl’s OK and I love Goblin!” Brian protested.
“Goblin?” Gary asked. “Is that the dog’s name? Well, I’m sure Goblins’ a good dog, but I don’t want you befriending vagrants, Brian. Do you understand?”
“But dad…” Brian protested.
“Not another word,” Gary snapped.
The next day, when Gary came to fetch Brian, the boy was studiously sitting on the steps reading a book, but that night, his wife co
mplained that half a roast chicken was missing.
“I don’t understand!” she cried. “I set it aside to make sandwiches for Brian’s lunch and now it’s gone!”
Gary looked over at Brian and the boy looked so innocent that he was immediately suspicious. Was Brian taking food to school for that vagrant and his dog?
Gary started keeping an eye on the pantry and noticed that tins of sausages kept vanishing. He now knew that his son was stealing so he could feed the dog and the homeless man every day. Gary felt a pang.
His son, who had such difficulty making human friends, had bonded with the dog. It was a pity it belonged to a vagrant, a man who might be dangerous.
Two days later, Gary got off work early and when he arrived at the school, he caught Brian outside the gates. He had a bag in his hand and he was saying: “Hey guys, I have your favorite spaghetti, Carl. And for you boy, your favorite sausages!”
“BRIAN!” he thundered. “What are you doing?”
The boy looked up at him, and for the first time, Gary saw fear in his son’s eyes. Immediately he felt a surge of anger
It was this derelict’s fault that his son was afraid of him! He stepped forward and clenched his fists. “Get away from that man,” Gary shouted. “Get into the car!”
That night, Gary and his wife sat down and talked to Brian about the dangers of befriending strange men. Brian shrugged it off. “Dad, I know about stranger danger and bad touching. Carl is NOT like that, he’s nice. You can tell he’s a good person because Goblin loves him so much, and Goblin’s the BEST, smartest dog.”
“Brian,” Gary said quietly. “I’m sure Goblin’s a great dog, but you know what? Hitler had a great dog and he loved him, and I’m sure the dog loved him back. A good dog does NOT make this vagrant a good person. Please stay away from him, Brian!”
“NO!” shouted Brian, and he pushed back his chair. “Carl is my friend and I love Goblin! Why do you always have to spoil everything? I HATE YOU!”
That night, Gary made a decision. He was going to solve this problem his own way…
That Saturday, Brian woke up early to the sound of anxious barking. He thought sleepily, “That sounds just like Goblin!”
Brain jumped out of bed and looked out of his window. It WAS Goblin, and he was standing on the porch barking anxiously and looking very unhappy.
“Goblin!” Brian cried as he opened the door, and immediately the dog ran to him. Goblin put his head in Brian’s lap and started whining. “What’s wrong, boy? Where’s Carl?”
But the dog just whined and shivered so Brian decided to do something he’d always been afraid to do before — go to his dad’s work and ask for his help.
Gary was stunned when he saw Brian at the precinct with the dog by his side. “Brian!” he gasped. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“Dad!” he cried. “I think something bad happened to Carl. Goblin came looking for me and he’s very scared…” But Goblin wasn’t looking scared, he was looking up at Brian’s dad and growling.
Brian had never heard Goblin growl before. “Dad!” he asked. “What have you done?”
Gary flushed. “Carl was loitering near a school and he was warned off twice, so we arrested him!”
“But dad!” Brain cried. “He did nothing wrong! He’s not well, he needs help…You don’t know anything about him! He’s a veteran and he was in the bomb squad and he worked with sniffer dogs to find explosives. That’s why Goblin’s so well trained. He’s a good man and you arrested him because he’s sick!”
“He’s not SICK!” Gary cried angrily. “He’s a bum!”
Brian had tears in his eyes. “No, dad,” he said softly. “He doesn’t drink or anything, and most of the time he talks to people who aren’t there. He needs help.”
Gary was ashamed of himself, mostly because he couldn’t admit that there was a part of him that was jealous of Carl and his easy friendship with his son.
He did some investigating and discovered that Carl had a sister in a neighboring state who had been looking for him for years. He contacted Carl’s sister and she was overjoyed.
She took Carl home and enrolled him in an outpatient mental health clinic immediately. Goblin went too, of course. Brian missed Carl, but mostly he missed Goblin.
Then one day his dad came home with a big grin on his face and a strange lump under his jacket. He lifted out a wriggling puppy and presented it to Brian. “There you go,” he said. “You have to name him!”
Brian started crying, he was so happy. “Goblin,” he gasped. “His name is Goblin Two!”
What can we learn from this story?
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are. Gary assumed Carl was a drunk and a danger before he knew anything about him.
Kindness and compassion are the greatest of virtues. Brian’s empathy led him to befriend Carl, and he helped him find his way back home.
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