Do you have a BURNING question about your urine?

May 03, 2019 Cystitis / UTI

There are many reasons why a person may experience a burning sensation when urinating, while some may be quite easy to diagnose and treat others may require more investigation.

It is clear to see that any type of burning sensation while urinating is not normal and requires some form of medical attention. One of the major causes of burning and pain is due to urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Cystitis is a form of UTI which is common in women, it occurs when bacteria which naturally lives in the bowel and on the skin enters the ureter.

Who Does Cystitis Affect More?

Cystitis is far more common in women than it is in men, this is due to the length of the ureter (the tube that passes urine out of the body).

Women have short ureters meaning that bacteria do not have to travel far in order to reach the bladder, however in men it’s a lot longer therefore making it difficult for bacteria to reach the bladder.

For this reason, any UTIs in men must be referred to a GP for investigation and treatment, as its uncommon. Burning or pain while urinating can also be a symptom of other diseases, these include:

• Genital Herpes
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhoea
• Stones in Urinary Tract
• Irritation of urethra from sexual activity
• Tumour growth in urinary tract
• Interstitial cystitis

These are only some diseases which may be leading to the pain, its not an exhaustive list but it gives you an idea about other diagnosis. You must remember that if you are passing any blood in your urine you should see your GP right away.

Here at SimplyMeds we can treat the most common reason for painful urination which is Cystitis. It is treated with antibiotics and the two treatments we provide are Nitrofurantoin and Trimethoprim.

Nitrofurantoin is now the first line treatment in uncomplicated cases of UTI meaning it’s the recommended antibiotic to go for.

Antibiotics offer a quick and easy treatment for Cystitis and UTIs, and in most cases they will clear up the infection in 3 days.

Cystitis and UTIs are more of a nuisance than anything to be overly concerned about, it is common for most women to experience once in their lifetime.

There are some cases whereby you need to consult your GP, these are as follows:

• You’re not sure if you have Cystits
• In pregnancy
• You are a man (for the reason stated earlier)
• Experience Blood in urine
• Symptoms do not improve in 3 days
• You get these symptoms frequently

If you have any questions regarding your condition we will be happy to answer them, if you are unsure please contact us here.

By Birpal Virdee (April 2019)