Is it normal if it hurts to pee

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We'll be in touch every so often with health tips, patient stories, important resources and other information you need to keep you and your family healthy. Why does it hurt when I pee? Here are a few things that could be causing pain during urination and how to ease or end it. Urinary tract infection Anyone can get a urinary tract infection UTI , but this infection is more common in women. Sexually transmitted infections Some sexually transmitted infections STIs can also cause painful urination.

Cystitis Cystitis, or an inflammation of the bladder, can be caused by a wide range of causes. Learn more about the possible conditions that could cause pain during urination. Learn more. Like UTIs, yeast infections can cause pain when you pee because the area around your urethra is tender, though the primary symptom tends to be really itchy skin down there.

In this case, the head of your penis becomes inflamed and irritated. For treatment , over-the-counter antifungal creams like Monistat for women or Lotrimin AF for men will usually do the trick, though you may need a prescription oral medication like Diflucan fluconazole to completely clear it up, says Dr. Prostatitis , or an inflamed prostate gland, can happen when bacteria reaches your prostate through your urinary tract, says Jennifer Linehan, M.

Depending on the reason—and sometimes, there is no clear cause—you may need to take antibiotics or additional medications like alpha blockers which help relax the area where your prostate and bladder meet and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to ease your pain. Lifestyle changes like avoiding trigger foods can help, too, per the Mayo Clinic. Some sexually-transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause painful urination, as well as discharge from your urethra or pelvic pain, says Dr.

If you have genital herpes , the first outbreak which appears as small, red bumps that develop into blisters and oozing or bleeding ulcers is often the worst episode, says Tsippora Shainhouse, M. It can be extremely painful to walk, sit, and pee, and you may even have flu-like symptoms like a fever and body aches. A kidney stone can block the urethra and create a buildup of pee. Small kidney stones pass out of the body in the urine, and this can be painful.

Other symptoms include blood in the urine, pain on either side of the lower back, nausea or vomiting, and pee that is cloudy or smells bad. Possible causes of kidney stones include too much salt and sugar in the diet, obesity , and not drinking enough water.

A person can drink more water to flush the kidney stone out of the body, but if a kidney stone is very large or causes an infection, surgery may be necessary. Sometimes, a person experiencing a burning feeling after peeing may have other symptoms. These can include:. If the person visits a doctor, they should make them aware of any additional symptoms to aid with the diagnosis. They may check for signs of fever or test for a UTI to rule this out as a cause.

The most common test for a UTI involves a urine sample. Testing the sample for bacteria and white blood cells can show whether the body is fighting an infection. Imaging tests can also help by giving a picture of the urinary tract and revealing any problems, such as a blockage or damage. The doctor may also use a cystoscope, which is a camera on a long, thin tube.

This device allows them to look inside the urethra and bladder for signs of infection. Finding the underlying cause of a burning feeling after peeing is the first step. Treatment varies depending on the diagnosis. A person should consider seeking medical advice if a burning sensation when peeing lasts longer than a few days or if they also have:.

These could be signs of more serious medical conditions, such as a kidney infection. It is also advisable for a person to visit a doctor if their symptoms return after treatment, or they have repeated UTIs. Females are more likely to develop a UTI than males because the female urethra is shorter.

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, bladder, and urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body. This causes an infection. Swelling and irritation from the infection can make urination uncomfortable.

Sometimes painful urination comes and goes on its own. Other times it is the sign of a problem. If you have any of the following symptoms along with painful urination, call your doctor:. If your doctor thinks you have a UTI, he or she will do a urinalysis. This tests your urine to look for infection. He or she may also order an ultrasound of your kidneys or bladder. This can help find sources of pain, including kidney stones.

Your doctor might think your pain is from vaginal inflammation. If so, he or she may wipe the lining of your vagina with a swab to collect mucus. The mucus will be looked at under a microscope. This will test for yeast or other organisms. Your doctor might think your pain is from an infection in your urethra. He or she may swab it to test for bacteria. American Family Physician: Painful Urination.