Pain when urinating in men is an extremely unpleasant symptom. There are many reasons for its occurrence, and an experienced urologist will help to understand them, to whom you need to contact without delay.
Painful urination (dysuria) is an extremely broad term for discomfort at the time of urgency. This pain can occur in the bladder, urethra, or perineum. In general, painful urination is very common. Pain, burning, or tingling sensation can indicate a number of medical conditions.
Causes of pain when urinating in men
- In men, pain during urination occurs with inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) and the prostate gland (prostatitis), as well as with urolithiasis, when stones are passed, - says urologists: A more rare cause of pain in the urethra is cancer of the prostate and urethra.
In addition, painful urination can be caused by certain medications that irritate the bladder.
In more detail, the main reasons for pain during urination in men are as follows:
Urethral infection. Painful urination is a common sign of a urinary tract infection, which includes the urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys. Inflammation of any of these organs can cause pain. Women are more likely to develop these infections than men because the female urethra is shorter. But men in old age also suffer from similar infections.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some STIs can also cause painful urination, such as genital herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Prostatitis. Even young men can experience painful urination due to prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland. Often it is he who becomes the main cause of burning, tingling, and discomfort during urine separation.
Cystitis. This is an inflammation of the lining of the bladder. The most common variant in men is interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome. Its main symptoms are a pain in the bladder and pelvis.
In some cases, radiation therapy can cause pain in the bladder and when urinating. This condition is known as radiation cystitis.
Urethritis. Urethritis indicates inflammation of the urethra, usually due to a bacterial infection. It also often causes pain when urinating, and can also cause an increased urge to urinate.
Epididymitis. This is an inflammation of the epididymis. With this disease, pain may also occur when urinating.
Obstructive uropathy. In other words, an obstruction of the urinary tract, in which urine from the ureter, bladder, or urethra returns to the kidneys. The causes of this pathology are different, but it always requires seeking medical attention.
Another condition, urethral stricture, can cause the urinary tract to narrow, creating similar urinary problems and pain.
Stones in the kidneys. If a man has kidney stones, they obstruct the flow of urine, causing pain.
Medicines. Certain medications, such as those used to treat cancer and some antibiotics, can cause painful urination as a side effect. You need to talk to your doctor and possibly change your medication.
Hygiene products. Sometimes, painful urination can be triggered by care products. Soaps, lotions, and bubble baths can be especially irritating to urethral tissue. Dyes in laundry detergents and other toiletries can also cause irritation and painful urination.
Symptoms of pain when urinating in men
Men with pain when urinating may have other symptoms:* more or less frequent urination than usual;
* itching, swelling, or soreness in your genital area;
* pain during sex;
* fever;
* blood in urine or semen.
Doctors assess the severity of pain on a 10-point scale:
mild - pain does not interfere with work, study, or other normal activities, its score is 1 - 3;
moderate - pain interferes with work, awakens from sleep, its assessment is 4 - 7 points;
severe - the pain is very strong, it interferes with normal activities, its assessment is 8-10 points.
Call a doctor immediately if:
* there is great weakness, so much so that it is difficult to stand; pain 8 - 10 points;
*there is vomiting or trembling;
* temperature above 38 ° C;
* pain is localized in the side, back, or scrotum;
* you are diagnosed with diabetes, a weak immune system (HIV, cancer chemotherapy, long-term steroid use, spleen removed);
* the man is bedridden (nursing home patient, stroke, chronic illness, or recovering from surgery);
* the patient underwent a transplant (liver, heart, lung, kidney).
Contact your doctor within 24 hours if there is blood in the urine (red, pink, or tea-colored), pus, pain, or burning sensation when urinating.
Treatment of urinary pain in men
Determining the cause of the pain will be the first step in treatment.Painful urination due to a bacterial infection usually goes away fairly quickly after starting the medication. Always take your medicine exactly as directed by your doctor.
Pain associated with some infections, such as interstitial cystitis, is more difficult to treat and the results of therapy may be delayed. You may need to take your medication for 4 months before you feel better.
Diagnostics
At the doctor's appointment, it is important to describe as accurately as possible the nature of the pain during urination, as well as the accompanying symptoms - this will help to make an accurate diagnosis.A urine test (general and bacterial culture) will help determine which infection is causing the pain.
If the doctor thinks the pain may be caused by an STI, he or she may take a swab from the urethra. The mucus is examined under a microscope to see if it contains yeast or other organisms.
If the pain is caused by an infection in the urethra, the doctor may take a swab to test for bacteria. Your doctor may examine the prostate gland if there is a suspicion that the pain may be caused by an enlarged or infected prostate gland.
If no infection is found, the urologist may suggest other tests, such as measuring the pressure in the bladder (cystoscopy).
Modern methods of treatment
Antibiotics will be prescribed for urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases. A urologist may also prescribe medication to calm an irritated bladder. But all drugs should be prescribed only by a doctor!If the pain is not severe and there is no suspicion of any illness, at home, a simple way will help to facilitate urination - drink more water. 8 - 10 glasses a day. It will dilute the urine and make it less painful to pass.
Prevention of pain when urinating in men at home
If pain is the result of irritation from additives and dyes in your skincare products, change your makeup. And washing powder, if the reason is in it.Use condoms during intercourse - they will protect against genital infections.
Change your diet - eliminate foods and drinks that can irritate your bladders, such as caffeine and alcohol.
Popular questions and answers
Urologists answered the typical questions of men about pain during urination.How dangerous can pain when urinating be?
This is not dangerous if we are dealing with a banal discharge of urinary salts. But specific (for example, gonorrheal) urethritis without treatment can lead to urethral stricture, that is, it's narrowing. Therefore, pain during urination in men cannot be ignored.
When to see a doctor for pain while urinating?
Contact in any case if the symptom does not "go away" within 3 - 4 days. In addition to pain, other manifestations are also important: the frequency of urination and the amount of urine excreted, the presence of discharge from the urethra (pus, mucus, blood). In the latter case, you should immediately contact a urologist!
Is it possible to treat pain when urinating in men with folk remedies?
In the case of painful urination in men, I would not recommend self-medication, especially with the use of folk remedies. It is not forbidden, of course, to use any herbal preparations, but only as an adjunct to the basic therapy prescribed by a doctor.
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