There is nothing more uncomfortable than feeling pain while peeing. If you have ever had a painful urination problem, then I am quite sure you never want to relive that moment. And yet this is a problem that affects many people. The medical term for pain, discomfort or burning when urinating is Dysuria. In this article, I am going to show you the probable causes of the burning sensation you experience while peeing and how to prevent it.
Causes of painful urination in women
Painful urination is a result of several factors. It can be a temporary condition that should not bother you; on the other hand, it can be a sign of a serious life-threatening disease like cancer. Here are some common causes.
Urinary tract infection
UTI is the number one cause of painful urination in women. It is estimated that about half the population of women will at one time get UTI in their life. It is a bacterial infection caused when germs find their way into the bladder. The symptoms of UTI include lower abdominal pains, burning while urinating, the urge to urinate frequently and foul-smelling urine.
Pregnant women and those who use public toilets are at a greater risk of getting UTI. Even though the condition mostly affects women, men too can get it through sexual intercourse.
Sexually transmitted diseases
A burning sensation during urination is a telltale sign of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). this is especially if you have an active sex life and you start experiencing the symptoms about three days after having unprotected sex. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis all cause discomfort when peeing. A quick lab test will be enough to show which STD you have acquired. Other signs of an STD are vaginal itching, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, and painful sexual intercourse.
Using harsh toiletries
Some ladies have been conditioned by unfounded misconceptions that a vagina is a dirty place that needs thorough cleaning using soaps and deodorants. These toiletries will interfere with the normal pH of your body thus causing burning when urinating. The vagina always cleans itself and therefore there is no need for you to use foreign objects because they will irritate it and cause other serious complications.
Poor hygiene
An uncomfortable burning sensation while you pee could be a sign of a yeast infection caused by poor hygiene. Another symptom is always a thick discharge down there. This may sound gross, but some women don’t know how to clean their bowels. If you wipe your bottoms from back to front, then you are inviting some harmful bacteria into your vagina. Another issue is not washing your underpants or wearing panties with nylon fabric which prevent air circulation down there.
Kidney stones
Experiencing pain while urinating could be a sign of kidney stones. The stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidney. These stones can block you’re your bladder and thus the reason for pain when peeing. Other symptoms of kidney stones are pink, red or brown urine, foul-smelling urine and passing small amounts of urine. The severity of these symptoms is depended on the size of the stones.
Medication
Certain medication like the one used for cancer chemotherapy can cause inflammation of the bladder which will result in a burning sensation when peeing or just after urination. If you are undergoing any kind of medication, then you should check out for its side effects. You can discuss such issue with your doctor and see if you can have a change of medication.
Urethritis
Urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra. It is caused by harmful bacteria in the vaginal area. it generally causes painful urination and an urge to urinate frequently. Even though it has the same symptoms as UTI, they are two different conditions that require different medication. Whereas urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra, UTI is an infection of the urethra. The condition is very common in women than men because women have a short urethra making them susceptible to bacterial infections. It can also cause painful urination in men.
Treatment options
If you have said the phrase ‘It stings when I pee’ more than once in the past two days, then it is time you visited a doctor. Even though most of the pain often goes away on its own, any kind of discomfort when urinating should be examined by a doctor to establish the real cause. Medication will be prescribed based on the causes of your condition. Usually, a dose of antibiotics is enough to treat Urinary Tract Infection.
Prevention and remedies
It is not hard to prevent vaginal infections like UTIs that result in painful urination in women. The following are some of the ways to avoid getting the discomfort;
Drink a lot of water
Drink lots of water will dilute your urine and help prevent UTI. It flushes out harmful bacteria from the body. A lot of water will also prevent the formation of kidney stones which cause painful urination.
Avoid douching
Washing your vagina using deodorants, soaps, powders and even spraying it is very harmful because it interferes with the normal pH thus resulting in infections. The vagina always cleans itself but if you are not satisfied with that, use only pure water when washing down there
Practice safe sex
Always insist on using a condom when having sex unless you want to make babies. This will protect you from STDs. It is also suggested that peeing immediately after intercourse will flush harmful bacteria from the body.
Practice good hygiene
Always wipe your bottoms from front to back to prevent movement of bacteria from the anal region to the vagina and urethra. Wear cotton panties to ensure breathability in your southern region. Try to change your underwear immediately after exercises.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as diagnosis for any kind of diseases.
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