Painful Urination After a Car Accident

The bladder is located in the lower abdominal area and is protected by the pelvic bones. It is the organ responsible for storing urine. When it reaches capacity, the bladder muscles contract and injects urine through the urethra.

Although the pelvic bones protect it against external forces, it’s not enough to cover the bladder from blunt trauma sustained in a car accident or from falling off a motorcycle. Any injury to the bladder initiates the inflammatory response, and because of inflammation and may even be bladder damage, the organ won’t be able to function normally. This would cause pain upon urinating.

Painful urination is a prevalent symptom experienced by victims of vehicular accidents. Painful urination is often the result of a deceleration injury, especially if you wore a seat belt and your bladder was complete when the accident occurred. 

A ruptured bladder is a condition common in car accident victims. It is a type of bladder injury caused by direct trauma to the lower abdominal region or penetrating injury to the pelvic region. Statistics state that a full urinary bladder is more at risk for rupture than an empty one.

Victims of car collisions and motorcycle accidents can develop symptoms of urinary problems such as lower abdominal pain, painful urination, decreased urine output, difficulty emptying the bladder, abdominal bloating, and urinary retention caused by a blood clot blocking the urethra. In addition to painful urination, victims may even notice some bleeding when they urinate.

Treatment for a ruptured bladder includes surgery to repair the injury, blood transfusion to prevent shock, pain medications for pain control, anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation, and intravenous fluid management to prevent dehydration.

The kidneys are well-protected organs. The ribcage protects the kidneys in the posterior upper abdomen. However, it is not uncommon for the kidneys to sustain an injury in motor vehicle accidents, leading to bruising and inflammation.

Symptoms of a bruised kidney include generalized pain and bruising over the upper abdominal area, the flank, and the back. Blood in the urine may also be present, along with difficulty urinating and urinary retention. There may also be some pain and swelling of the abdomen. Other symptoms like anemia and hypotension may appear, indicating severe kidney contusion.

A bruised kidney with torn and damaged blood vessels increases the risk of death due to blood loss.

A lacerated kidney is a type of injury also commonly seen in car collision victims. It is often caused by significant trauma to the kidney resulting in the organ breaking open and causing internal bleeding.

Symptoms are very similar to a bruised kidney – painful urination, blood in the urine, abdominal pain, etc. However, if misdiagnosed and left untreated, a lacerated kidney can be fatal as it leaks blood and urine into the surrounding. Car collision victims need to undergo laboratory tests like a CT scan, aortogram, and urinalysis immediately to make a proper diagnosis.

If there is extensive damage to a lacerated kidney, emergency surgery will be necessary to repair the damage and prevent blood and urine leakage.