Painful urination is an issue that many men and ladies experience. And if you’ve it, you most definitely need to eliminate it – immediately.
There are lots of possible causes for painful urination, but it’s often brought on by something that’s highly treatable like a urinary tract infection (UTI). Still, among the causes could be serious, so it’s necessary to speak along with your doctor to get a diagnosis and the correct treatment.
Read on to study what may cause discomfort when you pee and the way to stop the burning sensation.
What’s painful urination?
The medical term for painful urination is dysuria. Painful urination is commonest in women, but everyone can experience painful urination no matter age or gender.
More often than not, painful urination is brought on by irritation or inflammation of your urinary system, reproductive organs or genitals. That’s why symptoms and causes could be different for men and ladies.
How painful urination symptoms can provide clues into possible causes
If you’ve dysuria, you could feel burning, stinging, itching or discomfort when you pee. You might also experience frequent urination, meaning you should go to the toilet quite a bit.
There are lots of causes of painful urination and every comes with unique symptoms. But when the pain occurs may also be a clue as to what’s causing the issue.
For instance, if you happen to feel burning or stinging when you begin to pee, it’s often an indication of an infection. If it hurts when you’re almost done peeing or afterward, it could be a sign that something’s fallacious along with your bladder. When you’re in a position to tell your doctor when the pain starts, it shall be easier for them to find out the reason for your symptoms and get you began on treatment.
Common causes of discomfort when urinating
The next are causes of painful urination for each men and ladies. In a while, we’ll cover causes which can be specific to every gender.
Urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are essentially the most common reason for painful urination. Infections can occur at different places within the urinary system, including your kidneys, urethra and bladder.
Each men and ladies can get UTIs, but they’re more common in women. UTIs are frequently brought on by bacteria in your urinary tract that get into your body through the urethra.
The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body. In women, this tube may be very short – about 1.5 inches. In men, it goes from the bladder to the tip of the penis. Since a female urethra is shorter than a male urethra, bacteria have to travel a shorter distance to get into the bladder and other parts of the urinary system.
Besides painful urination, other UTI symptoms include blood-tinged, cloudy or strong-smelling pee; fever, pain in your stomach or back, and the necessity to pee more often or with more urgency. But when cloudy, foul-smelling urine is your only symptom, it’s probably something aside from a UTI.
More often than not, a UTI will go away quickly when you are taking a prescription antibiotic or antiviral medications. And since UTIs are so common, you may often get treatment virtually. But without treatment, they’ll worsen and may cause more serious symptoms.
Diabetes and UTIs
Individuals with diabetes usually tend to have more severe UTIs that affect their urethras, bladders and kidneys. Plus, these UTIs could be brought on by bacteria which can be more immune to treatments. But managing blood sugar levels can assist prevent UTIs. When you need assistance managing your diabetes, talk along with your endocrinologist.
Sexually transmitted infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also often called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are one other reason for painful urination. STIs pass between people through vaginal, oral or anal sex. Some STIs can irritate the urinary system, causing UTIs.
So, which STIs or STDs cause painful urination? There are a number of of them, including genital herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis.
If an STI is the reason for painful urination, you could have discharge out of your genitals, have blister-like sores or feel itchy down there. Without treatment, STIs worsen and might sometimes result in infertility or other serious problems. So if you happen to think you’ve an STI, it’s necessary to get treatment immediately.
Chemical sensitivity
What you place in your skin all the time matters, but it’s very true for the tissues in your genital area. Douches, soaps, scented toilet paper, contraceptive sponges, spermicides and other personal care products can irritate sensitive genital tissues.
For ladies specifically, these products also can throw off the pH balance of the vagina. The result could be painful urination, swelling, redness and itching, in addition to an increased probability of getting a UTI.
Kidney stones
Kidney stones are pretty common – about 1 in 10 people may have one of their lifetime. They occur when salt and other minerals collect inside your kidneys and clump together, forming hard deposits called kidney stones. Kidney stones often come out on their very own. But it’s possible that you just might need surgery to remove one, especially if it gets stuck in your urinary system and results in a UTI.
Painful urination is one among the symptoms of kidney stones that need medical treatment. Other symptoms include a pointy, cramping pain in your back or side, blood in your urine and frequent urination.
Bladder stones
Bladder stones are much like kidney stones, but they form within the bladder as an alternative of the kidneys and are way less common. Bladder stones are commonest in men over the age of fifty, but other people get them too.
Bladder stones are formed from minerals that may construct up in your bladder if you happen to’re unable to completely empty your bladder when you pee. Bladder stones can irritate the bladder and block the urine stream. In the event that they do, they might cause pain when urinating and alter urine color. In the event that they’re sufficiently small, drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day could also be enough to get them to come back out. In the event that they’re larger or are causing bothersome symptoms, your doctor can perform surgery to remove them.
Narrowing of your urethra
It might be painful to pee because your urethral has turn out to be narrower, making it harder for the urine to go away your body. This condition, called urethral stricture, will likely be the results of scarring and is more common in men than women.
Medical causes of urethral scarring include trauma to the world, prostate problems and certain kinds of cancer. It might probably also occur after radiation therapy or medical procedures where a tube or device is inserted into your urethra.
If a urethral stricture is the reason for your painful urination, it’s likely that you just’ll even have a slower urine stream, spray when you urinate or feel like you may’t completely empty your bladder. Treatment will rely on where the narrowing occurs but can include urethral stretching and surgery.
Diverticulitis
Some people have small pouches called diverticula within the weakened parts of their large intestines – about 50% of adults do by age 50, based on research. These pouches don’t often cause any symptoms but in the event that they turn out to be inflamed, it results in a condition called diverticulitis.
If you’ve diverticulitis, it could be painful to pee. Other symptoms include constant pain within the abdomen (often on the left side), fever, nausea and rectal bleeding. This condition is commonly treatment with antibiotics or over-the-counter pain medications.
Surgery or medical treatments
Surgery to the pelvic region and medical treatments akin to radiation can irritate the urinary system and will cause painful urination. More often than not, your urinary system and peeing habits will return to normal as you heal. But in the event that they don’t, check with your doctor.
Medications
Painful urination could be a side effect of certain medications, akin to chemotherapy. If painful urination began after taking a recent medication, check the label to see if dysuria is a side effect.
When you’re a HealthPartners patient or member, you may contact the nurse line at 612-339-3663 or 800-551-0859 if you’ve questions.
Bladder cancer
It’s rare for cancer to be the reason for painful urination. Nonetheless, changes in urination could be a symptom of bladder cancer – as much as 30% of individuals have urination problems before being diagnosed.
Bladder cancer will likely be present in early stages when the cancer is most treatable. Bladder cancer symptoms could be much like UTI symptoms and include painful urination, frequent urination, blood in urine, and back or pelvic pain.
Other reasons for painful urination in women
The next are additional reasons for painful urination which can be specific to female sex organs.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy changes an individual’s body significantly and might make painful urination more likely. The growing baby can put pressure on pelvic floor organs, which include the bladder. So, if you happen to’re pregnant, this could make it difficult so that you can empty your bladder or make it feel like you should pee more often.
But painful urination could be brought on by common pregnancy complications like UTIs. So, it’s especially necessary to see a health care provider for painful urination since untreated infections can affect your pregnancy.
Vaginal inflammation (vaginitis)
Symptoms of vaginitis include discharge, itching and pain. It’s most frequently brought on by an infection. But it may also be brought on by skin conditions and hormonal changes that occur during menopause. So yes, low estrogen may cause painful urination.
Kinds of vaginitis include:
- Yeast infection – Often from Candida albicans, a naturally occurring fungus. Treatment is an antifungal medication.
- Bacterial vaginosis – A typical condition brought on by an overgrowth of your normal vaginal bacteria. Medical treatment helps restore the balance, prevents UTIs and makes it less painful to pee.
- Trichomoniasis – Trichomoniasis is a parasite that’s spread through sexual activity. It’s treated with oral antibiotics.
Vaginal tears, cuts or scrapes
It might probably even be painful to pee if vaginal tissues are cut, scraped or torn. Treatment will depend on the sort and severity of the injury.
Minor cuts and scrapes
Minor cuts and scrapes could be brought on by activities akin to sexual activity, foreplay, shaving – sometimes uncomfortable underwear is all it takes. Hormone imbalances and skin conditions like eczema may also be the cause.
Minor cuts and scrapes often heal on their very own if the world is kept clean. But you ought to be looking out for inflammation and infection (using a handheld mirror can assist). When you see pus or things worsen as an alternative of higher, make a health care provider’s appointment.
Vaginal tears and deeper cuts
You might have a vaginal tear if you happen to’ve recently given birth – it’s estimated that 9 out of 10 vaginal deliveries result in a tear or graze. Your doctor will explain the way to take care of any tear as a part of their after-birth instructions.
Vaginal tears and other trauma also can occur because of this of sexual assault. When you’ve been the victim of an assault or forced sexual intercourse, it’s necessary to achieve out for support and medical help. When you need someone to check with, you may call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to check with someone on the National Sexual Assault (RAINN) Hotline. Your doctor may also be someone you may check with.
Endometritis
Endometritis is irritation or inflammation of the liner of the uterus that’s brought on by infection. Endometritis can follow childbirth, miscarriage or a pelvic procedure. It might probably even be brought on by a STI or tuberculosis. If you’ve endometritis, you could even have abdominal swelling, vaginal bleeding or discharge, or constipation.
Other reasons for painful urination in men
The prostate gland could be one among the important reasons it burns when a person pees. The gland is in regards to the size of a walnut and is situated slightly below the bladder, and surrounds the highest of the urethra.
Prostatitis
If you’ve prostatitis, it implies that your prostate is swollen and inflamed. This condition could make it difficult and painful for urine to travel down the urethra and out of the body. Prostatitis also can cause pain in your groin, pelvic area and genitals. Bacterial infections are sometimes the reason for prostatitis, but sometimes there could be prostatitis with out a sign of infection.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer could be a reason for painful urination. But prostate cancer doesn’t often cause symptoms within the early stages, so it’s necessary to get routine prostate cancer screenings. Routine screening is how most prostate cancer is found. Catching cancer early is best because that’s when it’s most treatable.
Easy methods to stop the painful or burning sensation while urinating
If it hurts to pee, you must make a primary care appointment or start a web-based appointment. Most causes of painful urination require a health care provider’s care – often a prescription for antibiotics. Still, there are some things you may do immediately to assist along with your symptoms.
Stay hydrated
If you’ve an infection, drinking lots of water can assist flush the bacteria out of your system. Getting enough to drink also can prevent UTIs from coming back. And if the burning urine sensation is brought on by something you ate, drinking plenty of water will dilute your urine so peeing is less painful.
Medications
There are medications that could make it less painful to urinate, and also you’ll need a separate medication to treat the reason for your painful urination.
Over-the-counter medications that contain phenazopyridine (Azo is a preferred selection) may help reduce pain and burning when you pee. But consider that phenazopyridine medications won’t treat the condition that’s causing painful urination. So, you’ll still need to talk along with your doctor about the very best treatment on your condition.
If you’ve a UTI or STI, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics. In case your symptoms are brought on by a yeast infection, you may try antifungal topical creams and gels that you just buy at the shop.
Warm compress or spray
In case your symptoms are brought on by vaginal skin irritation, cuts or tears, try using a twig bottle to spritz the vagina with warm water while urinating. Using a warm compress or sitting in a shallow bath of water can assist too.
Skip the fragrances
Your vagina could be cleaned with plain water. But when you desire to use soap, be certain that to seek out a pH-balanced cleanser without dyes and perfumes. Going forward, skip douching and female sprays since they contain ingredients that may irritate the sensitive skin down there.
Don’t hold it
Painful urination often comes with the necessity to go often. Despite the fact that it’s a pain to maintain running to the toilet, don’t hold it. Skipping bathroom breaks could make your symptoms worse, especially if the cause is an infection. If you’ve bacteria in your urine, holding it in gives the bacteria time to multiply in your bladder and potentially move up your urinary system and into the kidneys.
When to see a health care provider about painful urination
It should never be painful to pee. More often than not, stinging, burning or discomfort when peeing is brought on by conditions which can be easily treatable. It is particularly necessary to see a health care provider if you happen to:
- Are pregnant
- Notice unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
- Have a fever
- Feel pain within the back or side of your body
- See blood in your urine or semen