See the Causes of Painful Urination

Painful urination is a clinical condition, and it is medically referred to as dysuria. It is a condition that affects the bladder and the urinary tract in general, such that urination becomes painful. The problem can originate from anywhere within the urinary tract. It could either be the bladder, perineum, or urethra.

This feeling of painful urination is peculiar to both men and women. It is quite common and comes with a sting-like or burn-like sensation while you try to urinate. The major cause of dysuria is infection. When the urinary tract gets infected, symptoms like painful urination set in.

Causes

Some conditions have been discovered to be triggers of dysuria. The majority of these causes are preventable and can also be treated. The following are causes of painful urination as well as the symptoms peculiar to each cause.

Urinary Tract Infection

The infection gets to the urinary tract when there is a build-up of bacteria in the urinary tract. The urinary tract is the portion of the body that processes urine, ranging from the kidneys to the bladder and urethra until urine is passed.

Symptoms

When your urinary tract gets infected, you begin to experience symptoms like;

• Frequent urination
• Fever
• Pain in the back and side
• Blood traces in urine
• Extremely smelly urine

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Dysuria can also be caused by sexually transmitted infections. Some of these STIs include; gonorrhea and herpes. These STIs can infect the urinary tract and lead to painful urination.

Symptoms

The symptoms of STIs-caused dysuria vary according to the STI involved. However, it is known that herpes causes lesions on the genitals.

Prostate Infection

Prostatitis, just like urinary tract infection, is caused by bacterial build-up. Another cause of prostatitis can be associated with chronic inflammation from STIs.

Symptoms

• Prostatitis can trigger the following symptoms;
• Difficulty passing urine
• Pain in the urinary tract; bladder, or urethra
• Painful and difficulty in ejaculating
• Frequent urination, especially at night

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are made up of the build-up of materials like uric acid and calcium. It is not when real stones get to the kidney as people misinterpret it to be. These built-up materials become hard like stones around and within the kidneys. Sometimes, these hard materials arrange themselves close to the area where urine passes into the bladder. This being a painful process leads to painful urination.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of kidney stones include;
• Nausea
• Difficulty passing urine
• Bloodstained urine
• Cloudy urine
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Frequent urination but in small amounts
• Chills
• Intense pain
• Pain at the back and in the side

Ovarian Cyst

Just like kidney stones, cysts are unusual or abnormal growths on any part of the body. The growth could either be internal or external. Each cyst is identified with the location of the infected area. When a cyst grows on the ovaries, the condition is referred to as ovarian cyst. An ovarian cyst can develop on either one or both of the ovaries. However, the most affected ovary is usually the one sitting on the bladder.

Symptoms

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Pelvic pain
• Painful periods
• Painful urination
• Tenderness of the breast
• Lower backache

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is otherwise known as bladder pain syndrome. It causes irritation and inflammation to the bladder and stays for up to 6 weeks.

Symptoms

• Pressure on the bladder
• Frequent urination but in small amounts
• Pain during sex
• Vulva or vaginal pain
• Scrotum pain
• Painful urination

Chemical Sensitivity

When the urinary tract is exposed to external chemicals, infections set in. Some of these chemicals include perfumes and fragrances used in places like the vagina. When the vagina gets irritated and inflamed, urinating becomes a problem. Some harsh products that can cause vaginal or urinary tract infection include;

• Douches
• Vaginal lubricants
• Contraceptive foams
• Soaps
• Perfumes tissue papers

Symptoms

• Swelling
• Itching
• Redness
• Genitals irritation and sensitivity

Vaginal infection

Otherwise known as vaginosis. It occurs as a result of the growth or build-up of bacteria or yeast in the vagina. Some STIs are also culprits of vaginal infection.

Symptoms

• Smelly vagina
• Smelly discharge
• Vaginal sensitivity and irritation
• Abnormal but mild vaginal bleeding
• Pain during sex

Certain Medication

Certain medications like cancer medications irritate the bladder and urinary tract tissues. This bladder tissue irritation causes pain and leads to painful urination. If you feel the symptoms of dysuria while on a medication, stop the medication with immediate effects and go back to your Doctor to discuss your experiences.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the medication in use.

Bladder Cancer

When cancerous cells begin to grow or develop on the bladder, such a condition is referred to as bladder cancer. The first symptom of this condition is bloody urine.

Symptoms

• Other symptoms include;
• Fatigue
• Bone ache
• Weight loss
• Lower back pain
• Painful urination
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen foot
• Frequent urination

Obstructive Uropathy

This occurs when there is a barrier in the bladder or urethra, such that urine, instead of flowing towards the urethra, flows back to the kidney. The cause of obstructive uropathy varies. It is a medical emergency.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

This occurs when an infection is transferred from the vagina to the reproductive organs.

Symptoms

• Painful urination
• Abdominal cramps
• Painful intercourse

Treatment

Dysuria, no matter the cause, needs to be treated by a professional medical practitioner. Antibiotics can be prescribed by doctors to help combat the bacteria and put a stop to the build-up of bacteria on vital organs.

When the dysuria is caused by STIs, medications can be administered to ease the painful irritated, and inflamed bladder.

The condition improves when the antibiotics begin to kill the bacteria. It is important to use the drugs as prescribed by the Doctor. Not sticking to the medication could mean you will continue to experience painful urination until you must have taken enough antibiotics to kill the bacteria to reduce inflammation and irritation.

However, when the dysuria is caused by interstitial cystitis, treatment can be extremely slow. It is possible that you use medications for up to 5 months before you begin to see effects and feel relieved.

See the Doctor when you notice any of these symptoms.

• Fever
• Frequent urination
• Strong urge to urinate
• Back pain
• Vaginal discharge
• Persists after treatment
• If you are pregnant
• Smelly urine
• Smelly discharge
• Cloudy urine
• If you pass a kidney stone through your urine

Speaking to a Doctor about your symptoms would help the Doctor administer appropriate medications to combat it to the root.

Prevention

• Stay away from perfumed menstrual pads and contraceptive foams.
• Do not use fragrance in your vagina in order to avoid irritation.
• Constantly use condoms during sexual activities in other to bar sexually transmitted infections from getting into your body.
• Avoid foods that can irritate your bladder. Review your diet list and get rid of food that contains high acidic contents, high caffeine, and alcohol
• Stay hydrated all day long, as this can help flush your urinary tract.
• While washing your vagina, wash from front to back to prevent dirt from the anus from entering the vagina and causing an infection.
• After intercourse, women should urinate immediately to flush the urinary tract and prevent bacteria from entering the bladder.
• Both men and women should keep their genital and the surrounding areas clean and dry at all times. This involves changing sanitary pads and panty liners frequently to prevent infection.
• Women should avoid using soaps to wash their vaginas to avoid irritation and inflammation.
• Avoid prolonged wearing of swimsuits to prevent infection.
• Practice healthy sex

Natural Remedies

These remedies only help ease the symptoms and are permanent cures for dysuria.

• Water; drinking enough water keeps you hydrated and flushes your urinary tract.
• Clove oil; helps fight intestinal bacteria. It should be taken with caution, especially when you are on a blood-thinning medication. It is best to discuss it with a doctor before using it.
• Vitamin C; promotes the immune system to fight off infections that cause dysuria.
• Cardamom; it is a natural detoxifier. It is known to aid digestion and flushes out toxins from the body.
• Goldenseal; is one of the ancient and most effective remedies for dysuria. Goldenseal is common among Americans. It is used to treat vaginosis and urinary tract infections.
• Oregano oil; is a natural antibiotic and can fight off cancerous cells as well as viruses and infections.

In conclusion, painful urination is a symptom of the infected urinary tract. It could either be the bladder or urethra that is infected. It is caused by various factors, and its treatment cannot be done at home.

Sensitivity(physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensationMore (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)