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Urination - painful - Overview

Alternative Names

Dysuria; Painful urination

Definition of Urination - painful:

Painful urination describes any pain, discomfort, or burning sensation when passing urine.

Considerations:

Pain may be felt right where the urine passes out of the body. Or, it may be felt inside the body, behind the public bone, or in the bladder or prostate.

Pain on urination is a fairly common problem. People who have pain with urination also may have the urge to urinate more often.

Common Causes:

Painful urination is most often caused by an infection or inflammation somewhere in the urinary tract. See:

Painful urination and women and girls may be due to:

  • Changes in the vaginal tissue during menopause (atrophic vaginitis)
  • Herpes infection in the genital area
  • Irritation of the vaginal tissue caused by bubble bath, perfumes, or lotions
  • Vulvovaginitis, such as yeast or other infections of the vulva and vagina

Other causes of painful urination include:

  • Reviewed last on: 10/11/2010
  • Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Chief of Urology, Cambridge Health Alliance, Visiting Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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