Pain While Urinating - What Can Cause It?

Urine is the body’s way of removing toxins from the bloodstream. This should be a painless procedure but many people complain of a painful urination. This pain could stem from issues with the urethra, bladder or perineum. It may be caused by a number of factors.

These include:

1. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): UTI could be caused by an inflammation of the urethra or bacterial infection. In either case, painful urination is one of the first signs that can be identified. Women have a higher risk of UTIs as they have a shorter urethra as compared to men. This allows bacteria to travel through the urethra easily to reach the bladder.
2. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI): A sexually transmitted infection such as gonorrhea, genital herpes or chlamydia could also cause painful urination. These diseases may not have other visible symptoms and hence it is important to get yourself checked out by a doctor. Simple sexual practices such as engaging in safe sex and abstaining from sexual intercourse with multiple partners can help prevent STIs.
3. Prostatitis: This is a condition in which the prostate gland gets inflamed. This affects only men and is a common cause of painful urination and a stinging sensation while passing urine.
4. Cystitis: Cystitis can be described as an inflammation of the lining of the bladder. It can make a person want to urinate more frequently, cause urinary incontinence and painful urination. One of the types of cystitis is Interstitial cystitis (IC).
5. Kidney Stones: Mineral deposits in the kidneys are known as kidney stones. The size of these stones can range from a few mm to be as big as the size of a golf ball, in an irregular shape. The larger the kidney stone, the more painful it will be. Small kidney stones may be passed out of the body along with urine while surgical intervention may be required for larger kidney stones.
6. Urethral Stricture: This is a condition where the urethra is narrowed by the development of scar tissue around it. It may be the result of previous surgery, trauma to the abdomen, cancer, radiation, etc. as the urethra is narrowed, the amount of urine that can pass through it is reduced thereby causing pain and difficulty urinating.
7. Allergy: An allergic reaction to soaps, lotions, creams and other such personal hygiene products used in the genital area can also contribute to painful urination. Sometimes the dyes in laundry and detergents can also cause irritation in your private parts.