Burning Sensation During Urination - Why It Happens?

Burning urination or painful urination is also called dysuria, and it is one of the most common complaints amongst women. Another common problem is frequent urination. What are the causes of these two conditions? Are they in fact related? 

Frequent urination, in simple terms, is also sometimes called overactive bladder and it is the need to urinate more than you normally would. This can cause loss of bladder control too. You may feel extremely full even after using the toilet and the feeling is extremely uncomfortable. Medical practitioners bracket urinating every two hours or more as frequent urination.

Some of the underlying causes are

1. A urinary tract infection or UTI is the most common cause of frequent urination. UTIs happen when bacteria enters your urinary bladder through the urethra. Men also get UTIs, but it is less common than women as the ladies have shorter urethras. This means that bacteria have less distance to travel before they can infect the urinary tract causing UTIs. UTIs in women can be prevented by proper wiping after using the toilet, which will protect the urethra from E.coli bacteria. Proper hygiene also is a deterrent, especially after intercourse.
2. Medical conditions affecting muscles, nerves, and tissues. Weakening of nerves due to hernias in the lower back etc. can also cause an overactive bladder.
3. Oestrogen deficiency caused due to menopause can cause an overactive bladder and a woman finds it difficult to hold the urine for long.
4. Obesity can also place extra pressure on the bladder.

Burning sensation while urinating 

Common reasons behind it

1. Frequent urination does not point to any gynaecological issues but burning urination is a common symptom of sexually transmitted diseases or STDs like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea which cause symptoms like pain when urinating and vaginal discharge. Burning urination usually occurs after intercourse when sexually transmitted infections are present.
2. Burning while urination can also be caused due to UTIs and it is often accompanied by other symptoms of UTIs like painful urination or dysuria or blood in the urine.
3. Kidney stones are solid masses of crystalized calcium or other materials that start in the kidneys but can pass through the urinary tract causing pain and discomfort.
4. Urethral stricture is a condition when the urethra narrows and this causes burning and pain during urination in women.
5. Urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra in women can cause burning on urination.
6. Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the reproductive organs in women and causes abdominal pain especially during urination or sex.
7. Bladder cancer
8. Vulvovaginitis is a common infection of the vulva and vagina, both, and it causes burning and itching while urinating and increased vaginal discharge.

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