Painful Urination (Dysuria) : Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Symptoms

Painful urination, or dysuria, is a symptom that indicates an underlying issue, such as a urinary tract infection, but it usually originates from an inflammatory condition. It is indicated with a painful sensation while you urinate, with a mild discomfort at the start of the urination and can be accompanied by other symptoms with variable locations. The patient may experience stinging pain in the urethra, bladder, or behind the pubic bone. You must visit your nearest specialist to diagnose painful urination that persists or is accompanied by several other symptoms.

Here are some of the most common Painful Urination Symptoms:

• Buring sensation
• Discomfort or pain
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Strong and sudden urge to urinate immediately
• Difficulty in initiating urination
• Incomplete bladder emptying
• Blood in the urine (hematuria)
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Pelvic discomfort or pressure

Causes of Painful Urination

Painful urination for men and women is typically caused by STIs or medications. The specialist may help determine the causes and help alleviate the pain with a proper treatment plan.

Here are the painful urination as contributing factors:

A). Infectious Causes:

1. Prostatitis – Chronic inflammation of the prostate gland.
2. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) – They particularly affect the bladder (cystitis) or kidney (pyelonephritis) in women due to their shorter urethra, and cause dysuria.
3. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – Herpes, chlamydia, or gonorrhea.
4. Emphysematous cystitis – Gas buildup due to the accumulation of bacteria in or around the bladder, most commonly observed in diabetic patients.
5. Vaginal infection or yeast infection.

B). Non-infectious Causes:

1. Irritants – Chemical irritants (soap or cleaning products) and medications can cause dysuria.
2. Bladder pain syndrome – Also known as interstitial cystitis, which causes chronic bladder pain or irritation.
3. Bladder or kidney stones – These irritate the urinary tract, and intense pain and discomfort while urinating.
4. Urethral strictures – Also known as narrowing of the urethra, causing urine flow obstruction and pain.
5. Vaginal tissue changes.
6. Pneumaturia – Where gas is present in the urine, described as bubbly urine with a whistling sound.
7. Drug-induced or radiation-induced cystitis.
8. Chemical cystitis
9. Endometriosis
10. Long-term catheter use

When to Seek a Specialist for Your Painful Urination?

See a healthcare professional for painful urination (dysuria) to perform early evaluation and prevent severe infections or complications, diagnose complex conditions, and treat underlying causes.

Visit your specialists in the cases of:

• When pain persists for 3 days or more
• Pink, red or brown urine indicates the presence of blood
• Signs of severe infections, like severe kidney infection indicated by fever, chills, and back pain.
• Pelvic or testicular pain
• Changes in the frequency of urination
• Frequent or recurrent UTIs

Don’t wait for signs to grow severe. Consult our URO Specialists today.

Diagnostic Approach for Painful Urination

Various treatments for pain and urination, tailored to the specific or suspected causes, are determined based on several factors that influence the diagnostic approach. These factors include patient demographics such as pregnant women, elderly individuals, men, and symptoms such as flank pain, hematuria, and chills.

Here’s the Specialist-approved Diagnostic Approach:

a). Initial Diagnostic Steps

• Urinalysis
• Midstream urine samples – collected to avoid contamination from the genitals.

b). Further Testing & Evaluations

• Urine culture and sensitivity – Identifies specific bacteria and antibodies
• Sexually transmitted infections testing – Recommended in sexually active individuals
• Imaging tests – Ultrasound or CT scans are used for complicated UTIs or kidney stones
• Cystoscopy – visualize abnormalities like bladder stones or interstitial cystitis
• Urine cytology – used in patients with a history of chronic smoking or other risk factors that involve bladder cancer.

Treatment for Painful Urination

If the symptoms persist even after the home remedies and medications, and the patient experiences recurrent urinary tract infections, consult a urologist to determine the cause and receive appropriate medical treatment with a personalized treatment plan.

Here are several common approaches for specific painful urinary symptoms:

• Home remedies or lifestyle approaches – Drink plenty of water, refrain from food that irritates the bladder, like caffeine, spicy food, artificial sweeteners, and probiotic drinks in your diet.
• Medical treatments – include antibiotic courses for persistent UTIs, pain medications to temporarily reduce the burning sensation, and treatment of the underlying conditions for prostate issues or kidney stones.

What if Painful Urination is Left Untreated?

Potential Complications may arise from the untreated painful urination, causing the spread of its underlying conditions into the kidneys, which can cause permanent damage or life-threatening sepsis.

Here are the potential complications of untreated painful urination:

• Severe kidney infections (pyelonephritis)
• Infection enters the bloodstream, causing sepsis
• Persistent discomfort and chronic pain
• Recurrent infection
• Urethral strictures
• Bladder damage or stone
• Pregnancy complications
• Sexually transmitted diseases cause pelvic inflammatory disease, leading to difficulty in conceiving.

Have any questions or concerns about your health? We’re here to help! Call us at +918065906165 for expert advice and support.