Every time you go to pee you feel the pain, and it burns. You had similar experiences in the past, and you just managed by flushing with an antiseptic solution. You are no longer able to ignore it. You are thinking how to go about it and whether or not to see a doctor.
About painful urination
You may feel irritation, pain or burning when passing urine. This can be a telltale sign of an underlying infection somewhere in the urinary tract. Such an infection may be in the kidneys, the ureters (pipes that carry urine from kidney to the bladder), urinary bladder (store house for urine), or urethra (the passage through which the bladder is emptied when passing urine). There can be other problems like an obstruction or inflammation in the urinary tract.
Treatment of urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are treated by using medicines called antibiotics which either kill or arrest the growth of germs in the urinary tract. These include ofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and trovafloxin, trimethoprim, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, nitrofurantoin, and ampicillin. The infection may be cured within a few days but the medicines are best continued for a week or two to completely eradicate the infection, and fight the tougher and complicated ones. If infections recur very often, a longer duration of treatment helps. This may be as long as 6 months. Above all, water is the best therapy. Drink plenty of water to flush your urinary system. However, in the elderly, those with a recent surgery in the urinary tract or stones in the tract, those with medical problems like diabetes, cancer, or spinal cord injury, and in pregnant women with a UTI, hospitalization may be required to allow infusion of fluids and antibiotics through the blood vessel. In such cases, it is important to treat the coexisting medical conditions.
Preventing urinary tract infections
UTIs can recur frequently. You can keep away from another episode by adopting some lifestyle changes. Keep clean and maintain hygiene. Clean the genital area before and after intercourse. Urinate before and after intercourse. After using the toilet, wipe from front to back. Do not use any sprays or deodorants on the genitals and never douche to keep clean. Go for showers instead of baths. Use sanitary pads and avoid tampons. Change the pad frequently. Wear cotton underpants and pantyhose. Change both at least once a day. Avoid the synthetic and tight-fitting ones. Water can wash away the infections. Drink it in plenty and urinate frequently. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as these can irritate the urinary tract. If you or your family members have no kidney stones, you can drink cranberry juice. Quit smoking as it weakens the defenses in the urinary tract and makes it more prone to infections and even cancer. Menopausal women may have a dry birth canal and more frequent UTIs due to hormonal changes. A local hormonal cream that contains estrogen can help such women.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and painful urination
Since the sexual and the urinary organs are in proximity in the bottom, infection of the sexual tract can spread up the urinary tract through the urethra. These STIs may be caused by bacteria such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, yeasts like Candida, or viruses such as Herpes. In addition to pain and discomfort while urinating, there may be a milky or yellowish discharge from the genitals. There may be change in menstrual bleeding and pain during intercourse. Herpes infection can cause body aches and fever. There may be sores around the genital area that may turn into hard scabs.
Other conditions causing painful urination
Pain while urinating is caused by many conditions other than the urinary and sexual infections. These are stones in the kidneys, ureters, or the urinary bladder. A narrowing, obstruction, distention, or malformation of the urinary tract can cause pain while passing urine. An inflammation in the bladder, called cystitis, or the prostate (prostatitis), a male reproductive organ, can cause pain while urinating. Concentrated and dark urine produced in dehydration can be painful. Some soaps, perfumes, sprays used over the genital area can irritate the urinary tract and lead to a painful urination. Drugs given to treat cancer can irritate the urinary system and radiotherapy used to treat any cancers in the organs located in and around the pelvis can also irritate the urinary tract.
Diagnosis
UTIs can be treated if detected in time and diagnosed correctly. Tell the doctor for how long your symptoms have persisted, how often you get them, and if you have any fever or flank or back pain. You should tell if you have ever noticed any blood or stones in your urine or have had any pus or discharge from either the urinary or the genital openings. You should also tell if you have any medical problems like diabetes or have undergone a surgery in the recent past or have been in bed with a catheter to facilitate urine drainage. If you are pregnant, tell it for sure and also share your sexual practices and partners.
You will need to undergo a series of tests to know if you have an infection or another problem in the urinary tract and localize it. The simplest and initial test is a urine examination. You will be given a clean sterile cup and you will need to collect a small quantity of urine in the cup which will then be subjected to chemical tests and microscopy. If an infection is suspected, a culture will help to grow bacteria, virus, or yeasts in the laboratory. These germs can be tested for their susceptibility to particular medicines. A stone, blockage, or swelling anywhere in the urinary tract may be picked up on o series of X-rays, an ultrasound (USG) or a computed tomography (CT). To take a direct look in the urinary bladder, a flexible thin tube called a cystoscope may be inserted up through the external urinary opening. This has a camera mounted on the tip and enables clear visualization of the interior of the urinary tract.
Preventing future issues
You can certainly prevent future issues, how much ever frequent and stubborn your infections or however persistent your problem. Adopt some simple lifestyle changes and always take medicines as advised by your doctor. Complete the therapy even if you get relief earlier. You should talk to your health professional and check if you can use a preventive treatment. This may be a prolonged course of antibiotics for around 6 months or more. If your problem is related to sexual infections, you may take a dose of antibiotic, say single 200 mg dose of trimethoprim, after intercourse.
UTIs can be treated and prevented. Keep yourself informed and adopt the right approach to handle your infections.
