Urination Pain - Female

DEFINITION

Discomfort (pain, burning or stinging) when passing urine
May include urgency (can't wait) and frequency (passing small amounts) of urination

General Information

Urinary Tract Infection: Urinary tract infections are the most common cause of painful urination.
Vaginitis: Women with vaginitis sometimes have mild pain with urination but the main symptom of vaginitis is a new or abnormal discharge from the vagina. Vaginitis is a general term that means "vaginal inflammation." Vaginitis may occur because of chemical irritation (e.g., excessive douching, or excessive use of over the counter yeast medication) or it may have an infectious cause (e.g., trichomonas, yeast).
Sexually Transmitted Disease: Sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes) can also cause painful urination.

See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If

A new or abnormal VAGINAL DISCHARGE is the main symptom
Problems with external female genital area, see VULVAR SYMPTOMS

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call 911 Now (you may need an ambulance) If

Very weak (can't stand)

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

You feel weak or very sick
Severe pain
Unable to urinate and your bladder feels very full
Fever of 100.5° F (38.1° C) or higher
Shaking chills
Side (flank) or back pain is present
Abdominal pain is present
Have diabetes mellitus or a weakened immune system (e.g., HIV positive, cancer chemotherapy, chronic steroid treatment, splenectomy)
Are bedridden (e.g., nursing home patient, stroke, chronic illness, recovering from surgery)
Are a transplant patient (e.g., liver, heart, lung, kidney)

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If

Blood in urine
All other women with painful urination

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR PAINFUL URINATION (pending talking with your doctor)

Fluids: Drink extra fluids. Drink 8-10 glasses of liquids a day (Reason: to produce a dilute, non-irritating urine).
Cranberry Juice: Drinking cranberry juice may help in fighting urinary tract infections. Do not exceed 12 oz (Reason: too much cranberry juice can also be irritating to the bladder).
Warm Saline SITZ Baths to Reduce Pain: Sit in a warm saline bath for 20 minutes to cleanse the area and to reduce pain. Add 2 oz. of table salt or baking soda to a tub of water.
Call Your Doctor If:
- You become worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Author and Senior Reviewer: David A. Thompson, M.D.

Last Reviewed: 9/21/2007

Last Revised: 3/21/2007

Content Set: Adult HouseCalls Online

Search