 [ Symptoms ] why can not i urinate [ Disease ] not being able to urinate at all despite a strong urge to is an urgent problem usually the severe discomfort or pain that results drives a person to seek medical attention quickly more commonly people have difficulty urinating in men this is usually caused by an enlarged prostate gland the urethra the tube through which urine passes travels through the prostate on its way to the penis the prostate slowly grows with age and in some men this squeezes the urethra and reduces urine flow medications can shrink or relax the prostate improving urination if medication fails prostate surgery can restore urine flow women who can not urinate sometimes have a urinary tract infection uti and antibiotics may be necessary other causes of blocked urination include medications kidney stones tumors in the abdomen or pelvis or a narrowed urethra from past infections