Symptoms
DEFINITION
- Discomfort (pain, burning or stinging) when passing urine
- May include urgency (can't wait) and frequency (passing small amounts) of urination
General Information
- All males with painful urination need to be examined and get testing to see if an infection is present.
Common Causes of Painful Urination
- Urinary Tract Infection: Urinary tract infections (e.g., bladder infection, prostatitis) are the most common cause of painful urination.
- Sexually Transmitted Disease: Sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., gonorrhea, chlamydia) can also cause painful urination. Most men with this type of infection will describe a clear-white to light yellow discharge from the penis. The two main organisms that can cause this are Gonnorhea and Chlamydia.
- In younger men, it is more likely that a sexually transmitted disease is causing the pain with urination. In older men, a bladder infection or prostatitis is more likely.
See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If
|
Should I Call?
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Call 911 Now (you may need an ambulance) If
|
|
|
Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If
|
- You feel weak or very sick
- Unable to urinate (or only a few drops) and your bladder feels very full
- Severe pain
- Fever of 100.5° F (38.1° C) or higher
- Shaking chills
- Side (flank) or back pain is present
- Abdominal pain is present
- Pain or swelling in scrotum
- 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
- Pus (white, yellow) from end of penis
- All other men with painful urination
|
|
Care at Home
HOME CARE ADVICE FOR PAINFUL URINATION (pending talking with your doctor)
- Fluids: Drink extra fluids (Reason: to produce a dilute, non-irritating urine).
- Call Your Doctor If:
And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.
|
Author and Senior Reviewer: David A. Thompson, M.D. Clinical content review provided by Senior Reviewer and Healthpoint Medical Network.
Last Review Date: 6/1/2011
Last Revised: 4/17/2010
Content Set: Adult HouseCalls Symptom Checker
Version Year: 2012
Portions Copyright 2000-2012 Self Care Decisions LLC; Copyright LMS, Inc.
