Experiencing pain or discomfort during urination, otherwise known as Dysuria, can be a sign of several medical conditions. Some of them are mild, while others can be a lot more serious, so, if you are consistently experiencing pain in your bladder, urethra, or perineum when you urinate it is best to get checked by a medical professional.
Below are some of the most common causes for painful urination, and the treatments and remedies you can use to help.
Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when excess bacteria build up within the urinary tract. The part of the body that runs from the kidneys to the bladder and urethra. Inflammation in any part of the urinary tract can cause painful urination.
Other signs of a urinary tract infection include cloudy or strong-smelling urine, incontinence and passing only small amounts of urine.
When diagnosed with a UTI the usual response is a course of antibiotics. However, UTI medicine can also be bought over the counter, providing pain relief by lowering the acidity of urine, and fighting infection with antioxidants.
Sexually Transmitted Infection
Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), such as chlamydia, genital herpes, and gonorrhoea, are another common cause of painful urination.
Other symptoms will depend on the infection, for example, herpes may cause blisters and lesions on the genitals. However, several STI’s have no major symptoms at all, so people can be carrying them without even realising it.
Therefore, all sexually active people need to be regularly screened for STI’s. If you are unfortunate enough to catch an STI then antibiotics are usually required to clear up the infection.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis refers to inflammation of the prostate gland, which can be caused by a short-term bacterial infection or sexually transmitted infections.
Some other symptoms of prostatitis include pain in the lower abdomen, back or rectum, difficulty urinating, or if you experience pain during ejaculation.
For pain relief, urology specialists may prescribe alpha-blockers, which reduce muscle spasms of the urethral sphincter, but to clear the infection our good friend antibiotics are usually required.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones develop when excess minerals build up in the kidneys. If left untreated kidney stones have been known to grow to the size of golf balls! Requiring surgery to be removed.
Some risk factors for developing kidney stones include low fluid intake, a sedentary lifestyle, and a diet high in sodium and protein.
Treatment for kidney stones focus on relieving pain and passing the stone, some medications can help speed up the process of the passing, but generally, an increase of fluids and painkillers are the best bet.
Interstitial Cystitis
Cystitis is the inflammation of the lining of the bladder. Interstitial cystitis is the most common form of cystitis and is otherwise referred to as bladder pain syndrome.
Symptoms include pelvic and abdominal pain and pressure, frequent urination, and a feeling of urgency (desperately needing to urinate) even after going.
Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure or treatment for interstitial cystitis, and most people may have to use a combination of treatments to provide relief. Some of these include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
- Performing pelvic floor exercises to target incontinence.
- Antihistamines to reduce urination urgency and frequency.
- Pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron), which has been shown to repair defects in the bladder wall.
