Have you ever felt that stinging pain while using the bathroom? Seen commonly in women while they urinate, pain, burning and a stinging sensation as they urinate is known as dysuria. The clinical term is often used interchangeably with difficulty in passing urine but is widely used to describe pain during urination. While men suffer from this symptom too, it is commonly seen in women. Why? you ask. Well, this kind of pain is usually the result of an infection in the urinary tract, bladder or kidneys and since women have a much shorter urethra as compared to men it is much easier for the infection causing organism to lodge and move up the urethra and cause an infection.
Why does this happen?
Dysuria is among the most common symptoms of cystitis (bladder infection) and is a common condition in women between the ages of 20 and 50. The infection usually starts when bacteria makes it way to the opening of the urethra and then progresses up towards the bladder and finally the kidneys. Known to be caused due to unclean habits (like not washing your private parts after visiting the washroom), due to sexual intercourse, constantly wet panties, vaginal infections and repeatedly controlling the urge to urinate for long periods of time, dysuria can be a symptom of a number of ailments. Here are a few diseases that could cause painful urination in women.
UTI or Urinary tract infection
This is one of the most common reasons for painful urination, especially in women. UTI or urinary tract infection is a condition where the urethra (the tube that transports urine from the bladder to the urethral opening where the urine leaves the body) becomes infected and therefore leads to pain and burning while urinating. Some of the common symptoms of this condition are
- Burning sensation while passing urine
- Pain in abdomen as you urinate
- Itching sensation at the urethral opening
- The urge to urinate very frequently
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Ans in some cases blood in the urine
Diagnosed with a urine test and clinical examination of your symptoms, this condition can be treated with antibiotics. In severe cases you may need to be on intravenous antibiotic drips to help clear the infection. There are also a number of natural remedies for UTI.
One of the best ways to prevent the onset of UTI is to drink lots of water through out the day as overworked kidneys make you prone to infections, clean your self thoroughly after sexual intercourse and after you have used the washroom. Also, make sure you clean yourself from front to back (from your vaginal opening to your anus) and not the other way around as this can lead to an infection as well.
Bladder inflammation or Interstitial cystitis
One of the common causes of painful urination infection of the lower urinary tract. Also referred to as Bladder inflammation or Interstitial cystitis, this occurs when the urinary tract becomes susceptible to bacteria due to a number of causes. While women are most prone to this condition, the other risk factors include pregnancy, urinary retention, use of a catheter and unclean habits.
Some of the major symptoms associated with a bladder infection are:
- An increase in urinary urge and frequency
- Pain when urinating
- Pressure or cramping around the pelvic area
- Cloudy urine
This condition is often diagnosed with the help of a urine test and clinical examination of your symptoms. Bladder infections are fairly easy to treat with antibiotics.
When an infection reaches the kidneys it is also referred to as pyelonephritis or kidney infection. A severe case of bladder infection usually leads to pyelonephritis. Apart from that it can also occur due to the entry of bacteria into the kidneys through the blood stream. The infection can affect either one or both the kidneys.
The common symptoms associated with pyelonephritis are quite similar to those that characterize cystitis. They include the following:
- Lower back pain that radiates to the sides or flanks
- Chills and fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
A mild and non-serious kidney infections can be treated with the help of oral antibiotics. However, in the case of pyelonephritis you will definitely require to be admitted to a hospital where you will be given intravenous antibiotics over a period of a few days. This will then be followed by oral therapy.
Vaginal inflammation and infections
Another condition for pain while urinating is through an infection in the vagina. Some common vaginal infections include:
- Yeast infection
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Trichomoniasis
However, it should be noted that there are certain conditions which can cause vaginal inflammation as well. Some of them are:
- The use of certain soaps which cause irritation
- Use of spermicide
- Slowly depleting estrogen levels in the case of menopausal women
The infections can definitely be treated depending on how serious it is.
Urethritis
An inflammation of the urethra can be caused by a number of conditions. In such cases, the inflammation can cause quite a lot of pain when a woman urinates. However, it should be noted that such an inflammation can be caused when you come in contact with certain products that you might use on an everyday basis, including:
- Soaps used for a bubble bath
- Scented hygiene products
- Spermicides
- Harsh soaps that irritate the skin
Urethritis can also be caused by certain sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, genital herpes, and Chlamydia. It can also be caused by irritation from a urinary catheter. However, once it is detected, you should be prompt in visiting the doctor in order to treat the condition and prevent the pain from recurring again.When you take steps to actually treat the cause of the inflammation, you will then be able to treat the inflammation which causes the urethra.
STDs or sexually transmitted diseases
These are diseases that are transmitted by unprotected sexual contact and one of their most common symptoms is pain while urinating. The common conditions that can cause this symptom are:
- Genital herpes
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
Once diagnosed this condition can be treated with medication but catching the condition early in its progression is essential to successful treatment.
Apart from the above mentioned conditions diseases like kidney stones, vaginal and urethral irritation due to sexual intercourse, tumours in the urinary tract can also cause pain while urination. Being that they are equally and in some cases, more common in men than in women, it is always best to get yourself tested for these conditions.
Disclaimer: Visiting a doctor as soon as you experience pain during urination is highly advised. Please do not use any medication or natural remedies without first consulting your doctor.
Photo source: Getty images
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