Frequent urination means having to urinate more often. While the average frequency differs from person to person, most people need to pass urine 6-7 times a day. ‘Frequent urination’ is when people need to pass urine more than 7 times in 24 hours if they have consumed 2 liters of fluid that day. This can disrupt normal routines, interrupt healthy sleep cycles, or be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.
What are the causes of frequent urination?
Since urination is a complex body process, several factors can lead to its increased frequency. These include lifestyle factors (such as excessive caffeine intake), kidney, urinary bladder, diabetes, or prostate gland problems. Frequent urination may also result from urinary tract infections, urethritis, pregnancy, tumors in the pelvic area or the bladder, interstitial cystitis, urinary tract stones, radiotherapy, sexually transmitted infections, or neurological problems. Here’s how some of these problems can impact urination frequency:
Diabetes: Frequent urination is the most common tell-tale sign for type-1 and type-2 diabetes, as the body tries to get rid of extra glucose through urine.
Pregnancy: The growing fetus begins to place pressure on the bladder from its growing stages, causing an increase in urination frequency.
Prostate problems: An enlarged prostate may press against the urethra and block the flow of urine. This makes the bladder wall irritable, causing it to contract even with small amounts of urine, leading to frequent urination.
Use of diuretics: Treatments for high blood pressure also act as diuretics, flushing excess fluid in the body and causing frequent urination.
Strokes or neurological diseases: Neurological diseases may cause damage to the nerves that perform bladder functions, leading to more frequent urination.
Hypercalcemia: Hypercalcemia or a high concentration of calcium in the blood can also lead to frequent urination. This condition can arise due to overactive parathyroid glands or illnesses like tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or cancer.
What are the symptoms of frequent urination?
While the most common symptom is the need to urinate more frequently with no actual increase in urine output, frequent urination may also be accompanied by dribbling after urinating, abdominal pain, urinary incontinence (lack of control over urine passing), nocturia (frequent urination at night), or painful urination. If these symptoms affect the quality of life, it is advisable to contact a healthcare professional. Reach out to a doctor in case of pain or discomfort while urinating, blood in the urine, loss of bladder control, increase in urination urgency, difficulty urinating, pain in the lower abdomen, increased thirst, fever, nausea, vomiting, or discharge.
How is frequent urination diagnosed?
When urinary frequency impacts the quality of life, expert intervention is required. On a visit to the doctor, they may ask questions regarding existing treatments, frequency of urination, and other symptoms. They may also inquire regarding the patterns of urination, fluid intake, changes in smell, color, or consistency of the urine, and daily caffeine consumption. Based on these responses, doctors may prescribe the following lines of testing:
Urine analysis
Ultrasound
X-ray or CT scan of the pelvic area
Neurological tests
STI tests
Blood tests
Doctors may also prescribe urodynamic tests. These check how well the bladder can control and release urine and the functioning of the urethra by observing the time it takes to produce a urinary stream, noting the amount of urine produced or gauging the ability to stop urine midstream. For these measurements, doctors use imaging equipment to observe the bladder filling and emptying, monitors to measure bladder pressure, and sensors to record muscle and nerve activity. Patients may be required to change their fluid patterns before a test and visit the clinic with a full bladder.
How is frequent urination treated?
Treatment options for frequent urination depend on its underlying factors. For example, if urination frequency has increased due to diabetes, doctors will prescribe treatment plans to manage sugar and insulin levels in the body. Individuals with an overactive bladder may receive bladder training or other forms of treatment. Bladder training and exercises include:
Kegel exercises: Strengthening the muscles of the pelvis and urethra with kegel exercises can help develop bladder control. For best results, it is advisable to perform Kegel exercises three times a day (10-20 times per set) for 4-8 weeks.
Biofeedback therapy: Combining kegel exercises with biofeedback therapy can increase a person’s awareness of their bladder and help them gain better control over their pelvic muscles.
Bladder training: Bladder training involves training the bladder muscles to hold urine for longer.
Monitoring fluid intake: Keeping a close watch on the time and quantity of fluid intake can also help people better understand their need for frequent urination at certain times of the day.
Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle can help people moderate their urine output and avoid complications leading to frequent urination.
