Urge to use bathroom before benching and shmoneh esrei

Question:

1. Is it true that one cannot have ANY urge to use the bathroom while benching and davening shmoneh esrei?
2. Also, is it true that if one goes to the bathroom (or tries) before either of those tefillos, one doesn’t have to be concerned about the urge? If so, does it have to be immediately before?
3. If someone has a constant urge (like a feeling of slight constipation) during the day, should he go to the bathroom before davening, and then before shmoneh esrei again before beginning shmoneh esrei?

Thank you very much

Answer:

1. It includes even a little urge, however it does not include OCD type of feelings, and feelings that are just nerves. Since the person body doesn’t have to use the bathroom, and it is only in his head. The rule for this is, that if the person will get involved in something else and will forget about needing the bathroom, that shows that it isn’t needed at all. (Unless the person has so much nerves that it can’t be forgotten about it.)
2. It doesn’t have to be immediately before, but it should have only been a while before.
3. A person that tries to use the bathroom, and it doesn’t go, does not have to be concerned about such feelings, because that is not considered having to use the bathroom.

Best Wishes

Sources:

1. Shulchan Aruch O:CH 92-1, Krayona Digriso1-375 ( old version).
2. Shulchan Aruch ibid -2
3. Nekiyos Ukavod Btefilah 5-3 in the name of R’ Vozner zt”l