Your kidneys are essential for keeping your body humming. They balance fluids and get rid of waste. Typically, a healthy adult will pee out about 800 to 2,000 milliliters (mL) of urine daily, which breaks down to about 0.5 mL per kilogram of body weight each hour.
But sometimes, things go wrong. When you don’t pee enough, doctors call it “oliguria.” That’s usually less than 400 mL a day. And if you’re not peeing at all, or less than 100 mL a day, it’s called “anuria.” Both oliguria and anuria are signs that something might be wrong with your kidneys.
Keep in mind that neither oliguria nor anuria is a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying issue. This article will define oliguria and anuria, explore potential causes, associated symptoms, and available treatments, and address some frequently asked questions about these conditions.