Painful urination

Painful urination is a very unpleasant but widespread problem. In the vast majority of cases, problems with the process of emptying the bladder occur precisely in women, this is due to the anatomical features of the structure of their body. The length of the female urethra is several times shorter than the male one, so infections and pathogenic bacteria penetrate the genitourinary system much faster and easier.

Despite the fact that nature itself “took care” of the safety of the male body, representatives of the stronger sex can also suffer from pain during urination.

In medicine, there is such a thing as dysuria – a term for urinary disorders. This includes all sorts of unpleasant symptoms, including pain when emptying the bladder. You need to understand that any discomfort is a signal of the body in danger. Let’s try to figure out what our body signals at the moment when dysuria occurs.

More about the causes of an unpleasant phenomenon

All the causes that provoke problems with urination can be divided into two groups – infectious and non-infectious. In the first case, we are talking about pathogenic microflora, which penetrates through the urethra into the genitourinary system.

Often, with infections, fever, chills, fever, deterioration in general well-being are added to the above symptoms. In some cases, the problem develops very quickly, and sometimes the intensity of symptoms increases gradually.

Along with the manifestation of alarming symptoms, there is a general deterioration in health. Anxiety, nervousness, headaches, weakness, apathy, loss of appetite, and malaise may occur.

Non-infectious causes of pathology include bladder tumors, kidney stones, inflammatory processes inside the abdominal cavity, a sharp decrease in immunity, and the like. In women, discomfort can be triggered by mechanical stimuli, for example, too active sex or an examination by a gynecologist.

In addition, discomfort is also caused by an allergic reaction of the body. The irritant can be synthetic underwear, scented pads and intimate wipes, some types of condoms, unsuitable spermicidal gels and lubricants. In this case, the pain during urination disappears immediately after the irritant is eliminated.

Discomfort when emptying the bladder is also an indirect sign of disorders of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract or pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. In this case, neighboring organs put pressure on the hollow organ, which leads to pain.

Symptoms of painful urination

The main signs of painful urination:

• pain and discomfort immediately during the process of emptying the bladder or immediately after it;
• aching pain in the lower abdomen, periodically increasing;
• the spread of pain in the pubic area to the lumbar region, groin, abdomen (sometimes there is aching pain in the legs);
• sharp pain in the urethra;
• change in the color of urine (it becomes cloudy, unnatural in color, with impurities of mucus or blood);
• urine has a sharp unpleasant odor;
• sexually active patients experience discomfort during the act of love.

Pain during urination is deployed in the pubic area, spreading to the suprapubic zone. Unpleasant sensations may be aggravated by burning in the urethra. Let’s try to identify and systematize the symptoms, the manifestation of which is the reason to listen more carefully to your body and visit a doctor. These symptoms can be attributed to the number of signs of many ailments. Most often we are talking about cystitis, urolithiasis in men, infections, fungi and even inflammation of the appendix.

Painful urination in women

Susceptibility to various diseases of the genitourinary system is justified by the anatomical features of the female body. A short urethra is an easily overcome obstacle for germs and bacteria. Most often, various problems are provoked by elementary violations of the rules of personal hygiene.

An attack of pathogenic microflora can cause cystalgia, a disease that leads to impaired blood and lymph flow in the pelvic organs. In this case, involuntary urination is added to painful urination during sudden movements or laughter, sneezing. Additional symptoms of pathology – pain during intercourse, copious discharge from the urethra, sometimes with blood impurities.

Difficulty emptying the bladder also indicates problems with the kidneys. For example, with urolithiasis or pyelonephritis, difficulty urinating is noted, accompanied by acute pain and pain. Such symptoms cannot be categorically ignored, since without proper therapy the disease will only develop.

Pain when going to the toilet “in a small way” occurs with vaginitis – an acute inflammatory process in the vagina. The disease can occur against the background of a sharp decrease in local immunity, with mechanical damage to the mucous membrane, followed by its infection, as a result of hormonal failure. Most often, vaginitis is diagnosed in pregnant women or in women who have reached menopause. Other symptoms of the disease are profuse vaginal discharge with impurities of pus, swelling of the external and internal genital organs, severe pain and fever.

Polyps and tumors inside the urethra can also provoke discomfort. At first, just discomfort or a slight burning sensation appears, later – discharge with droplets of pus and blood. The latter already indicates an advanced stage of the disease. Pain during urination in women occurs for various reasons, but it is important to respond to an alarming symptom in a timely manner.

Painful urination during pregnancy

Soreness during urination and frequent urge to go to the toilet can be explained by an increase in the uterus, which begins to exert more and more pressure on the hollow organ. But do not be too frivolous about unpleasant symptoms, attributing them to pregnancy. Signs that are the reason for an extraordinary visit to the doctor:

• change in pressure and volume of the jet;
• sharp pain when going to the toilet;
• changes in the color and smell of urine;
• the appearance of purulent or bloody inclusions;
• incontinence.

Such phenomena occur with infections of the genitourinary system, tumors and formations of stones. During pregnancy, the immunity of the pelvic organs may decrease against the background of hormonal changes in the body, so the expectant mother should be especially attentive to her health.

Painful urination in men

Symptoms of the same diseases in men and women can manifest themselves in completely different ways. For example, with urolithiasis, the process of urination is accompanied by a sharp throbbing pain not only in the genital organ itself, but also in the perineum.

The jet can be uneven and stop suddenly, until the feeling of complete emptying of the bladder.

Acute or chronic inflammatory processes of the prostate gland always occur with violations of the urination process such as burning, frequent urge, feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder, pain in the lower back and groin, fever, difficult urination process. Urine can change color and smell, become cloudy, with impurities and sediment.

Painful urination is a consequence of the development of sexually transmitted infections:

• gonorrhea;
• trichomoniasis;
• chlamydia;
• candidiasis.

In this case, discomfort during the act of urination is justified by swelling of the head of the penis. Next, there are severe pains in the groin and lower back, urine acquires a sharp unpleasant odor, purulent or curdled discharge from the urethral canal appears.

Men can suffer from pain during urination due to excessive physical exertion or certain types of injuries. Too tight underwear is also considered the cause of an unpleasant phenomenon.

Painful urination in children

Painful urination occurs not only in adults, but also in children. There are several reasons for an unpleasant symptom – cystitis, an infectious lesion of the urethra, kidney disease, salts and crystals in the urine, and the like. In parallel with this, complete or partial urinary incontinence (especially during sleep), frequent urination, discharge from the urethral canal, and a strong smell of urine are possible.

Most often, pediatric patients are diagnosed with cystitis of bacterial or viral origin.

The most striking symptom of the disease is a sharp pain during the act of urination. Parents can easily notice this by the reaction of a child who cannot speak. In the case of urolithiasis, the pain spreads to the lower abdomen, lower back and groin area, and always increases during a trip to the toilet. The child becomes lethargic, inactive, loses appetite

Children may also develop vesicopelvic reflux. With this pathology, urine from the bladder does not follow into the urethra, but into the pelvis – the process is accompanied by acute pain in the lumbar region and navel. Hormonal changes in the teenage body can provoke the formation of crystals in the urine. Small pebbles with sharp edges scratch the walls of the urethral canal, which causes pain and burning.

Parents should be attentive to the health of their children. Having noticed signs of violations of the urination process, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist who can identify the cause of the pathology and prescribe an effective treatment.

Diagnostic methods

A urologist is a narrow specialist who deals with the treatment of the organs of the genitourinary system. It is to him that you need to contact when alarming symptoms appear, in particular, with pain during urination. In some cases, it is better to first go to a general specialist – a general practitioner or pediatrician. A woman can first visit a gynecologist.

After questioning the patient and identifying all complaints, the urologist conducts a general examination of the external genital organs or immediately issues a referral for tests.

The list of required tests includes a general clinical urinalysis, a blood test and a smear for sexually transmitted infections.

An ultrasound examination will not be superfluous, during which it will be possible to check the condition of the pelvic organs and kidneys. When all the results are received, the specialist will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

The duration of therapy and the rate of complete recovery depends on the causes that provoke painful urination, the stage of the disease and the general condition of the patient’s body.

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