If you feel pain or stinging when urinating, know that you are not alone! Two-thirds of women experience urinary tract discomfort, according to statistics, in part because they are more prone to such problems than men. Urinary tract infections may be one of the causes and the first thing that comes to mind, but there are a variety of problems that can cause this sensation.

Read our article and find out what dysuria is - because that's what it's called in medical terms - what other symptoms it is accompanied by, as well as what causes it and how to treat it.

What is dysuria?

Dysuria is that unpleasant sensation of stinging, burning or pain during urination. It's not about how often you go to the toilet, it's about the discomfort it causes you.

It can occur at any age, in both women and men, but women seem to be more affected according to statistics.

It is important to know that dysuria itself is not a diagnosis or the name of a condition, but a symptom. If it stings when you urinate, it means that your body is telling you that there is another problem that is causing it and needs treatment.

How is the burning sensation when urinating

The burning sensation occurs when you urinate, usually at the level of the channel through which you eliminate urine or in the genital area. You can feel it right when you start urinating or after, as a burning, pain, stinging, itching or tingling sensation.

This is how the actual dysuria manifests itself, but it can often be accompanied by other symptoms.

Dysuria associated with other symptoms

Depending on the cause, in addition to dysuria, other symptoms indicating various conditions may appear, such as:

• Frequent and/or urgent need to urinate (although the amount of urine passed is very small)

• The presence of blood in the urine

• Cloudy hue of urine

• The unusual and unpleasant smell of urine

• Pain in the lower abdomen

• Pain in the bladder area

• Pain in one side or neck

• Fever

• Chills

Causes of dysuria (pain when urinating)

In women, urinary tract infections are the most common causes of dysuria. In men, burning when urinating is most often caused by problems in the prostate and urethra. But there can be a wide variety of causes – including sexually transmitted infections, kidney stones, and more, which you can read about below.

Urinary tract infections

The most common cause of discomfort when urinating, a urinary tract infection can cause pain and discomfort at the end of or during urination. The infection occurs when an excess of bacteria enters the bladder, which can lead to:

• irritation of the urethra, manifested by discomfort when urinating.

• bladder inflammation: popularly known as cystitis (chronic or acute), which causes burning or stinging when urinating.

• kidney infection: more severe inflammation, which can be accompanied by pain in the back and in the abdominal area.

The reason why women are more prone to urinary tract infection and dysuria is the anatomy of the urethra, which is shorter and straighter than in men.

Sexually transmitted infections

Another fairly common cause of pain when urinating is sexually transmitted diseases, because many such infections cause inflammation in the genital and urinary area. When the tissues are irritated, there is also a burning sensation when urinating.

Trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes – all of these can affect the urinary tract and cause dysuria even in the absence of other symptoms, so a specialist consultation is important to detect and administer treatment before other complications arise. If you want to read more useful information about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, we tell you everything in our article .

Urethral irritation

The urethra is the tube through which you eliminate urine. It starts from the urinary bladder and continues to the external opening, called the urinary meatus. Its inflammation is called urethritis and usually leads to painful and more frequent urination.

The most common cause of urethritis is a bacterial infection. The urethra can also be irritated as a result of sexual activity.

Kidney stones

Renal calculus, or kidney stones, usually manifest as sharp, sharp pains in the back of the abdomen, but can also be accompanied by pain when urinating as they pass through the urinary tract.

These "stones" are actually solid formations of minerals and salts, such as calcium or uric acid, that accumulate in and around the kidneys. Sometimes, calicules are deposited right where the urine enters the bladder and cause intense pain when urinating. Also, if stones end up in the urethra (urethral stenosis), they painfully block the natural flow of urine.

Inappropriate hygiene products

Frequent use of intimate hygiene products that contain irritating substances can lead to irritation of the genital area and urethra, thus being a common cause of stinging and discomfort when urinating.

This category includes any type of product for the intimate area, including soaps, deodorants, shower gels, toilet paper, foaming agents, detergents, and especially menstrual products that contain irritating agents. Conventional menstrual products can hide up to 90% plastic, fragrances, synthetic fibers, bleaches and other chemicals that, once absorbed by the permeable tissue of the intimate area, enter the body and can cause inflammation and discomfort – including dysuria.

So take care of your intimate area and give it natural period care with organic pads and pads from Enroush. They are made from 100% organic cotton without any other toxic chemicals to prevent allergic reactions. They are also tested and approved by gynecologists and dermatologists for safe menstrual care.

Other medical conditions

What we have listed so far are only the most common causes of stinging when urinating, but they are not the only ones. Other problems that can cause dysuria include:

• Interstitial cystitis: Also known as painful bladder syndrome, it causes chronic bladder irritation and pain, but mostly bladder pressure, for 6 weeks or more.

• Vaginitis (in women): irritation of the vulva or vagina, which occurs with imbalances in the vaginal flora.

• Prostatitis (in men): inflammation of the prostate gland, located below the bladder and around the urethra. The exact causes are unknown, but bacterial and sexually transmitted infections are among the risk factors.

• Ovarian cysts: Like kidney stones, they cause pain and pressure when they press on the bladder.

• Certain treatments: For example, certain medicines to treat cancer can inflame the tissues of the bladder and cause burning during urination.

Risk factors of dysuria

Dysuria can occur in both women and men, regardless of age. But the risk of feeling a burning sensation when urinating is higher in:

• Women: because the urethra is shorter, straighter and closer to the anus, thus favoring the entry of bacteria.

• Pregnant women: because the uterus puts more and more pressure on the bladder as it grows.

• Menopausal women: the drop in estrogen levels also affects the health of the urinary tract, increasing the susceptibility to infections.

• Sexually active people: because they are more likely to contact sexually transmitted infections, especially if they do not protect themselves with a barrier method.

• People suffering from diabetes

• People who have a bladder condition

Urinary stings in pregnancy

If you feel a stinging sensation when you urinate during pregnancy, it is important to talk to your doctor.

Urinary tract infections affect 1 in 10 pregnant women according to statistics, being the most common type of infection during pregnancy. This happens because your body goes through a series of anatomical and physiological changes that increase your susceptibility to UTIs.

The secretion of progesterone contributes to the relaxation of smooth muscles, and the capacity of the urinary bladder decreases due to the pressure exerted by the enlarged uterus. Thus, vesicoureteral reflux or urine residues in the bladder can occur, things that increase the risk of a urinary infection. They must be detected and treated as early as possible, because they can lead to complications for both the mother and the fetus.

Diagnostic methods for dysuria

Dysuria itself is only a symptom, so the doctor will make a diagnosis for the underlying cause of the burning sensation when urinating.

The first step is to review your medical history. He will ask you questions about conditions you have or have had in the past, with a focus on diabetes, bladder or immune system problems. He will also ask you what treatments you are taking and may assess your sexual history to determine if there is a possibility of a sexually transmitted infection.

After analyzing your state of health, the doctor can recommend - if necessary - tests such as:

• Screening or testing for sexually transmitted diseases, especially if dysuria is accompanied by unusual discharge.

• A pregnancy test, if there is a possibility that you may be pregnant.

• A urine test to look for white blood cells, red blood cells, and chemicals present that may indicate a urinary tract infection and the bacteria that caused it.

• Blood tests to identify possible infections.

• Examination of the prostate, in the case of men.

• Examination of a sample of the vaginal mucosa or urethra, in the case of women.

Treatment for painful urination

Treatment for painful urination is determined by the cause only, because it is a symptom – not a condition in itself with a specific treatment. So we recommend that you go to the specialist doctor, and not just ask for a quick remedy at the pharmacy, to discover exactly if the burning and discomfort when urinating is caused by an infection, inflammation or other problems of the urinary tract, and which is the right treatment.

Antibiotic treatment for dysuria (burning to urinate)

For dysuria caused by a urinary infection, the doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics depending on the results of the tests.

If the kidneys are affected, intravenous antibiotics may be given. In case of severe pain, your doctor may recommend phenazopyridine, an antibiotic that stains urine reddish and can stain underwear.

Antifungal treatment for dysuria (burning when urinating)

If the dysuria is not caused by a bacterial build-up, but by a fungal infection, you may be prescribed antifungal (antifungal) treatment. These can be in the form of oral pills or suppositories.

Prevention of urinary stings

Burning, stinging and pain when urinating, as well as discomfort at the end of urination, are very unpleasant sensations that you obviously want to avoid. Here's what you can do to prevent conditions that can cause dysuria:

• Avoid intimate hygiene products and menstrual products that contain perfumes, allergens and other toxic chemicals.

• Avoid vaginal douches and use an intimate gel made from natural ingredients to protect the balance of the vaginal flora.

• Use 100% organic cotton absorbents and tampons, which do not disturb your intimate pH balance and do not increase your predisposition to genital infections.

• Use a condom every time you have sex to prevent the transmission of infections.

• After urinating, use toilet paper to wipe and dry the vulva.

• Hydrate yourself enough to dilute the urine and facilitate the elimination of bacteria from the urinary tract.

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