How To Make Yourself Pee: 10 Remedies That Really Work

Home » How To Make Self Pee » How To Make Yourself Pee: 10 Remedies That Really Work

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How Can I Make Myself Pee?Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.N., CCRN, CPN — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on February 14, 2025
  • Run the water
  • Rinse your perineum
  • Hands in cold water
  • Go for a walk
  • Sniff peppermint oil
  • Bend forward
  • Valsalva maneuver
  • Relaxation techniques
  • The bottom line

You may be able to make yourself pee with certain practices, including listening to running water or trying relaxation techniques.

Have you ever wondered how your body knows when it’s time to urinate? When your bladder is full, your nervous system directs your body to alert your brain. When you have to pee, you feel a pressurized sensation in your abdomen, signaling that it’s time to visit the bathroom.

In some situations, you might have to force your body to pee. This might be when a doctor asks you to give urine for analysis at a checkup. This is called a urinalysis. A doctor will give you a sterile plastic container into which you urinate, and they’ll run various tests on your urine sample.

Or you might have trouble after surgery if you develop a common condition called neurogenic bladder, which interferes with your nerve signals from the bladder to the brain. This makes it difficult or impossible for your body to figure out whether it has to release urine. Urine contains waste products that can be dangerous to the body if you “hold it in.”

Many medications can also cause temporary urinary retention, such as antimuscarinic drugs, which help to treat Parkinson’s disease and an overactive bladder.

You shouldn’t force yourself to pee if you don’t have to for medical reasons. If you have to encourage urination, here are eight strategies that may work.

1. Run the water

Research has found that the sound of running water can create a strong urge to pee by relaxing your bladder muscles.

Sometimes, the sound of running water may also trigger a reflex action, causing your bladder to want to empty.

Consider turning on the faucet in your sink, sitting on the toilet, and trying to relax. Close your eyes and focus on the sound of the water.

2. Rinse your perineum

The perineum is the area of flesh between the genitals and the anus. According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom, rinsing this area with water may help you to urinate. This method is typically helpful for people who have just given birth and who may be finding it difficult to pass urine.

Try sitting on the toilet and relaxing your body. Then use a squirt bottle to rinse your perineum with warm water.

3. Hold your hands in warm or cold water

Placing your hands in water is a popular method that many people use to trigger urination. In fact, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that touching water can trigger a sudden and strong urge to urinate.

Fill a shallow bowl with warm or cold water and place your fingertips in it. Hold them there until you get the urge to pee, and then try to pee into the toilet.

4. Go for a walk

Physical activity can sometimes help stimulate the bladder and also help to avoid constipation.

Studies have found that exercises focusing on the pelvic floor can also help strengthen these muscles and alleviate urinary incontinence.

Try walking around a room or a hallway until you feel you need to pee.

5. Sniff peppermint oil

The smell of peppermint oil may be helpful if you are finding it difficult to urinate or completely empty your bladder.

Place a few drops on a cotton ball and bring it with you to the bathroom. Sit on the toilet, relax, and sniff the cotton ball.

6. Bend forward

The position in which you sit on the toilet may also help to trigger urination. The NHS indicates that it may help to lean forward when sitting on the toilet and use a rocking motion to help empty your bladder.

Sit on the toilet and relax. When you’re ready to try to pee, bend forward and rock. This may stimulate your bladder.

7. Try the Valsalva maneuver

The Valsalva maneuver is a breathing technique that creates pressure in your chest and forces you to strain and exhale, relaxing your body completely. This may help trigger your bladder into emptying.

Sit on the toilet and bear down as if you were having a bowel movement. Use your forearm to press gently on your lower abdomen, but do not press directly on your bladder. Urine that moves back up into the kidneys can cause infection or damage.

8. Use relaxation techniques

When urinating is difficult, it can help to sit on the toilet and relax as much as possible. This can help relax your bladder muscles and promote urination.

To relax further, close your eyes and begin breathing deeply. Make an effort to relax all of the muscles in your body, from head to toe.

The bottom line

The key to urinating on command is relaxing enough to let it happen. While you might find this challenging, it’s sometimes necessary for medical reasons.

If you still have trouble passing urine after attempting these techniques, you should speak with a doctor right away. You may have an underlying condition that’s impairing your ability to urinate.

 

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
  • Bladder control problems (urinary incontinence). (2021).https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems
  • Bladder health and incontinence. (n.d.).https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/bladder-health-and-incontinence
  • Çulha Y, et al. (2023). The effect of running water sound listened to patients during urodynamics on anxiety and urodynamic parameters.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10556426/
  • Dobrek L, et al. (2023). Lower urinary tract disorders as adverse drug reactions—A literature review.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/16/7/1031
  • Leslie SW, et al. (2023). Neurogenic bladder and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560617/
  • Peinado-Molina RA, et al. (2023). Impact and influence of urinary incontinence on physical activity levels.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10485778/
  • Perineum care after childbirth. (2024).https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/perineum-care-after-childbirth/
  • Srivastav S, et al. (2023).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537248/

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Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.N., CCRN, CPN — Written by Erica Cirino — Updated on February 14, 2025

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