Everyone Healthy Library
Urinary Retention
Also Known As: Ischuria
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
Connected health information
Explore this condition in a clear order
Linked signs and symptoms
5Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
Linked drugs / medications
2Medication information is educational only. A doctor or pharmacist should advise whether any medicine is appropriate.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
13Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
Surgery
2Medical therapy
2Alternative and complementary therapies
4Alternative medicine
3Alternative therapies
1Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
3These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
Biological and test markers
3This visual map uses existing EH database links to show biological agents and lab markers reported as increased, decreased, or associated with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often increased
2- Creatinine (Blood)Reference range exampleInfant (0 - 1y): 0.1–0.4 mg/dL; Adult ( > 16y), Female: 0.6–1.2 mg/dLLinked diagnostic tests1Creatinine Concentration (Blood, Serum Creatinine)
- Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)Reference range exampleAdult ( > 16y), Male: 0–3.8 ng/mLLinked diagnostic tests1Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test
Often decreased
1Other associated markers
0No markers in this group.
Introduction / full article
Urinary Retention
Urinary Retention
Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:
Saw Palmetto Extract [1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present. Palmetto extract may cause side effects, though these are uncommon. They may include headache, vomiting, dizziness, constipation, diarrhoea, insomnia or fatigue. Long term effects have not yet been researched.
Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that saw palmetto helps to treat urinary retention. More research is needed.)
Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence
Kava (Piper Methysticum) [1, 8, 9, 10, 11]:
WARNING: In rare cases, kava may lead to liver failure and other life threatening problems. The FDA warns that those who have had liver problems, or are on medicacations which may affect the liver, patients should check with their doctors before taking Kava. Other side effects include headache, upset stomach, drowsiness, weight loss, bloody urine, and muscle weakness.
Recommendation: weakly in favor (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Kava helps to treat symptoms of urinary retention. More research is needed)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica)[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:
Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.
Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of urinary retention in any way. More research is needed.)
Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence
Aromatherapy:
Recommendation: no recommendation (early trials done show no support of claims that aromatherapy may help with urinary retention)
Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence
* www.gradeworkinggroup.org
Summary References
1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009
2. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7
3. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD
4. B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x
5. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects
7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola
9. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/kava
10. http://www.kavazen.com/pages/library.htm#KavaZen and Kava Safety
11. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/index.htm
13. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/palmetto/
14. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-sawpalmetto.html
15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12137626
16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467543
17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18423748
18. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/saw-palmetto/NS_patient-sawpalmetto