Urethral injury means the urine tube gets bruised, torn, or crushed. Most happen from falls onto the cross-bar, pelvic breaks, or careless catheter work, and the warnings show up fast.

The headline is sudden pain at the tip or along the underside of the penis. It burns with the first attempt to pee and can throb for minutes after.

Bleeding is common. Bright-red blood drips from the tip or shows as light streaks in the first urine.

Urine can stop cold. You feel the urge but nothing comes out, and the lower belly swells like a water balloon.

Swelling and bruising march in. The shaft, scrotum, or perineum turn purple and puffy within hours.

Spraying or splitting appears if the tear creates a side hole. The stream forks, shoots sideways, or leaks into the underwear after you finish.

If the injury is severe, urine can seep into surrounding tissues, causing a boggy, crackling feel under the skin of the penis or scrotum—an emergency.