Holding in farts, bowel movements, and urine is something many people have experienced. The reasons are usually special circumstances or situations that make it unavoidable. So, where do these things go when held in? Simply put, they travel back the way they came.
1. Farting: Essentially waste gas produced within the human body, containing harmful components like nitrogen, hydrogen, and methane.So where do those held-in farts go?
There are two types: temporary and prolonged holding.
Temporarily held farts mostly retrace their path back into the large intestine, waiting for the next "release," with minimal impact on the body.
Chronic suppression, however, allows the body to absorb these gases. When excessive gas accumulates in the large intestine and cannot pass downward, the body seeks alternative pathways. Certain components of the gas are reabsorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal mucosa.
If suppressed long-term, these harmful substances cannot be expelled, posing risks to health.
1. Constipation. Repeatedly reabsorbed gas can cause chest tightness and abdominal bloating. Accumulated odors may trigger abdominal pain, impair digestion and nutrient absorption, and even disrupt stool elimination, leading to constipation. During constipation, more harmful substances build up in the colon, producing additional waste gases and creating a vicious cycle.
2. Weakening liver detoxification. Prolonged retention of gas severely impacts internal organs, particularly burdening detoxifying organs like the liver. Over time, this diminishes the liver's detoxification capacity.
II. Urine is another waste product produced by the human body, containing various toxins. If these toxins remain in the body for extended periods, they can cause significant harm.
Simply put: Holding urine → bladder distension and pelvic dysfunction → uremia and kidney disease. Repeated prolonged urine retention disrupts pelvic organ function and lowers resistance. For the elderly especially, frequent urine retention can cause prostate enlargement, making urination difficult.
Third, it goes without saying that feces are waste products. When stool isn't expelled promptly and remains in the body for extended periods, water is repeatedly reabsorbed by the intestines, leading to hard, dry stool that's difficult to pass.
Frequently holding stool can cause anal fissures due to dry, hard stool. The pain from these fissures during bowel movements may deter defecation, eventually leading to chronic constipation. Moreover, toxins in stool accumulating too long in the body are absorbed by the intestines, causing symptoms like lethargy, dizziness, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Furthermore, prolonged neglect may disrupt the gut microbiome, triggering a cascade of anal and intestinal disorders like constipation, anal fissures, and hemorrhoids. In severe cases, it may even contribute to colorectal cancer.
In summary, flatulence, bowel movements, and urination should never be delayed. Even in unavoidable situations, prolonged suppression is inadvisable.