URINATING in the shower is more than just a dirty little secret - it could cause kidney damage, say some experts.
American urogynaecologist Dr Teresa Irwin told her TikTok followers that urinating while showering trains the brain to link the sound of running water with needing to urinate - a Pavlovian response - potentially resulting in incontinence.
"Every time you're washing your hands, taking a shower, washing the dishes, if there is running water, your bladder is going to be 'salivating' because it wants to go and pee," Dr Irwin explained.
"In the long term, this can mess with the body's internal bladder control, leading to frequent rushes to the toilet."
Another TikTokking urology expert, Dr Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, pointed out that women who pee in the shower can risk urinary tract infections and even kidney failure.
This is because urinating while standing puts pelvic floor muscles - which can't relax - under extra strain.
This can lead to the bladder failing to empty, called urinary retention, which potentially causes a health problems.
However, Welsh urological surgeon Dr Jay Khastgir dismissed these concerns, pointing out that link between the urge to pee and the sound of running water is anecdotal, and there's no evidence that standing to pee has a detrimental effect on bladder emptying.
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