Doctor reveals why you should never pee in the shower

A doctor has revealed why women should never pee in the shower or “standing up” – explaining the unexpected problems it could cause.

A doctor has revealed why women should never pee in the shower or “standing up”.

Houston-based obstetrician Emma Qureshey took to TikTok this week to share the three things she would never do in the interest of gynaecological health: pee in the shower, treat a vaginal infection with garlic cloves or yoghurt, and ignore bothersome symptoms.

“The first thing I would never do is pee in the shower, or more importantly, pee standing up,” she begins in the clip, reported by The New York Post.

Dr Qureshey said that people promote the practice as better for the environment, claiming it saves upwards of 5000 gallons (18,927 litres) of water a year – but she finds that those benefits are not worth the downsides.

“It is one, not very hygienic, but more important than that, it will destroy your pelvic floor, and also it might create mental associations where you hear water running and all of a sudden you need to run to the bathroom,” she explained.

A doctor has revealed the reasons you should ‘never’ pee in the shower. Picture: iStock

Dr Qureshey’s reasoning is echoed by physical therapist Dr Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, who previously shared the cons of taking a tinkle in the shower in a viral TikTok.

“If you pee in the shower, or turn on the faucet, or turn on the shower and then sit on the floor to pee while the shower is running, you’re creating an association in the brain between the sound of running water and having to pee,” she said.

This association could possibly cause “leak issues” when you hear running water, Dr Jeffrey-Thomas said, adding that the position is also not conducive to pelvic floor relaxation.

“Your pelvic floor isn’t going to relax appropriately, which means that you aren’t really going to be emptying your bladder super well,” Dr Jeffrey-Thomas said.

Dr Emma Qureshey says peeing in the shower isn’t hygienic, can destroy your pelvic floor and may create mental associations where hearing water running may have you running to the bathroom. Picture: TikTok

Dr Qureshey urged her followers not to allow embarrassment to stop them from seeking medical treatment. Picture: TikTok

Relative to empty bladders, fellow TikToker and physical therapist Sabrina Baxter argues you should only go when you really have to go.

“When you’re about to leave the house and you’re like, ‘I don’t have to pee, but I may have to pee so I’m gonna go pee’ … if you do this often, your bladder is never filling up properly,” she said.

“It’s not filling to full capacity. You’re peeing when it’s halfway full. So you may have the urge to pee more frequently because it’s only filling halfway … You’re essentially sensitising your body to work at lower volumes than needed.”

Other doctors urged people to only use the toilet when their bladder is actually full.

Later in her video, Dr Qureshey advised folks to avoid home remedies and suppositories like garlic and yoghurt.

“Those things are not gonna treat whatever infection you’re dealing with, and they might make things worse,” she said.

“Before you go shoving things up places, talk to your doctor, please.”

She also urged her followers not to allow embarrassment or fear stop them from seeking medical treatment.

She assured viewers that she and her fellow practitioners have “seen it all, heard it all, smelled it all … We’re not judging. Talk to your doctor.”

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission