Dysuria, or Painful Urination

Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on June 21, 2024
Written by Annie Stuart, Stacey Jones, MS, BA
6 min read

Dysuria is a symptom of pain, discomfort, or burning when urinating. It is more common in women than in men. In men, it is more common in older men than younger men. 

In men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB), pain after urination can be due to prostate issues or inflammation of the urethra, the tube through which urine exits the body. In women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB), it's usually caused by urinary tract infections, or UTIs. 

Infections

UTIs are one of the leading causes of painful urination. Infections can happen in any part of the urinary tract, including the:

  • Kidneys
  • Ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder)
  • Bladder
  • Urethra (tube from the bladder that carries urine out of the body)

Urinary tract infections are most often caused by bacteria that get into the urinary tract through the urethra.

Things that can increase your chance of getting a UTI include:

  • Being a woman
  • Diabetes
  • Advanced age
  • Enlarged prostate
  • Kidney stones
  • Pregnancy
  • Having a urinary catheter in place

Besides painful urination, other symptoms of UTIs include:

  • Fever
  • Foul or stronger-smelling urine
  • Cloudy or bloody urine
  • Increased urinary frequency or urge to urinate
  • Pain in your back, sides, or pelvis

Sexually transmitted infections can also cause painful urination. These include:

Besides painful urination, these sexually transmitted infections can also cause symptoms such as:

Inflammation and irritation

A range of problems can lead to inflammation or irritation of the urinary tract or genital area, leading to painful urination. Besides infections, other reasons that area may be irritated or inflamed include:

  • Irritation of the urethra from sexual activity
  • Prostatitis, inflammation of the prostate gland
  • Inflammation of the epididymis, the tube behind each testicle that holds sperm
  • Interstitial cystitis, a condition caused by bladder inflammation
  • Vaginal changes related to menopause
  • Activities such as horseback riding or bicycling
  • Vaginal sensitivity from scented soaps or bubble bath, toilet paper, or other products such as douches or spermicides
  • Side effects from certain medications, supplements, and treatments
  • Tumor in the urinary tract

Sometimes painful urination can be related to a vaginal infection, such as a yeast infection. With vaginal infections, you can also have changes in vaginal discharge and odor.

Kidney stones

When kidney stones move outside the kidney and travel through the urethra, they can sometimes get stuck. This can block your urine flow and become painful. Most often, that pain is felt in your side or back, but sometimes you'll feel burning and pain when you pee.

Certain medications

Prescription antibiotics such as penicillin G and ticarcillin can cause dysuria as can cyclophosphamide, a drug used in cancer treatment, and dopamine, a vasodilator (medicines that expand blood vessels) used to treat some heart and kidney conditions. Natural foods and remedies that can cause dysuria include pumpkin seeds, saw palmetto, and cantharidin, also known as Spanish fly.

What is the relationship between dysuria and cystitis? 

Cystitis is the medical term for a bladder infection, and dysuria, or painful urination, is a symptom of bladder infections.

People describe dysuria as a stinging, burning, or itching sensation as they start to pee or after they finish. 

Dysuria male symptoms

In men and people AMAB, pain after urination may signal a problem with the prostate gland. The pain can remain in the penis before and after urination. 

Dysuria female symptoms

Women and people AFAB may feel itching or soreness in the vagina (including during sex) and have an unusual vaginal odor or discharge.

For people of any gender, symptoms that accompany dysuria include:

  • An urgency to pee and/or frequent urination
  • Loss of bladder control 
  • Lower abdomen pain
  • Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
  • Upper back pain
  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • Fever with chills

Can dysuria cause penis pain after urination?

Yes. Pain in your penis after urination is usually a sign of a bladder or prostate condition.

What is dysuria dribbling?

Dribbling is a type of incontinence that occurs when your bladder won't completely empty. You can leak, or dribble, urine well after you finish using the bathroom. It can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection, which can cause painful urination.  

Treatment for your dysuria will depend on whether it's caused by inflammation, infection, or other problems in your urinary tract. Infections can be treated with antibiotics. If your pain is severe, your doctor may recommend phenazopyridine, a pain medicine for burning urination that is available by prescription or over the counter (brand names: AZO, Uristat). You can aid your recovery by drinking more water too.

If your dysuria is caused by a yeast infection, you may be given an antifungal pill or suppository to treat it.

How to use baking soda for dysuria

If your dysuria is mild or you're in the early stages of a bladder infection or UTI, you may be able to treat it yourself by drinking a solution made by mixing 1 teaspoon of baking soda (bicarbonate) in a glass of water and drinking it two to three times a day. The alkaline in the baking soda may soothe your bladder. But you should not use this remedy if you have high blood pressure or heart disease, or for long periods of time, as baking soda contains high amounts of sodium.

Other ways to treat dysuria or ease the pain:

  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated or acidic drinks as these can irritate the lining of your bladder.
  • Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back.
  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Contact your doctor if your symptoms do not get better after 2 or 3 days.

The following can help prevent dysuria:

  • Drink plenty of water each day -- multiple glasses -- to flush out your urinary tract and prevent infection. 
  • Women and people AFAB should wipe from front to back after using the bathroom and keep their genitals clean and dry.
  • Change tampons frequently.
  • Avoid using harsh soaps, douches, and vaginal sprays in the genital area.
  • Limit bubble baths for little girls as well as extended play in wet swimsuits, which can lead to inflammation of the vulva (vulvitis).
  • Urinate after sex to keep bacteria from traveling to the bladder.
  • Practice safe sex by using a condom if you have multiple partners to avoid dysuria due to sexually transmitted diseases.

 

If you're pregnant, it's especially important to contact your doctor immediately if you have pain when urinating. For everyone else, contact your doctor if the pain persists, if you have a discharge or urine that has a strange odor, is cloudy, or contains blood or pus, and if you have fever or pain in your back or side.

After taking your medical history and doing a physical exam, your doctor may order lab tests to help diagnose the cause of your dysuria and to recommend treatment.

To help determine the cause, the doctor may ask whether your painful urination came on suddenly or gradually, how many times it has occurred, and when you feel it. Let your doctor know as well if your urine has changed in color or amount. 

 

Dysuria is pain or discomfort when you urinate. It is most commonly caused by upper and lower urinary tract infections including those in the bladder and kidney. Other symptoms that can accompany dysuria include an urge to urinate, frequent urination, blood in your urine, pain in your lower abdomen or upper back, fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting as well as vaginal discharge and pain during sex. Dysuria with a known cause usually responds well to treatment.

What is the main cause of dysuria?

The most common cause of dysuria is a urinary tract infection (UTI), but other causes can include vaginal infections, endometriosis, urethritis, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, prostate conditions, and cancer.

Are dysuria and UTI the same?

Dysuria is a symptom of a UTI.

How do I get rid of dysuria?

If your dysuria is caused by genital irritation, avoiding the irritant may help you get rid of painful urination. If it's caused by an infection, antibiotics are usually needed. If your dysuria is caused by a bladder or prostate condition, you will need to have the underlying condition treated.

Is dysuria an STD?

No. Dysuria is a symptom of sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, genital herpes, and gonorrhea.

Can dysuria cause painful urination in the morning?

Yes, dysuria is pain, stinging, or burning any time you pee.