Urinating is a normal part of life, helping filter out waste fluids and toxins. There’s no right or wrong number of times each day you should pee, but if you’re worried about the number of times you’re running to the bathroom, you could have frequent urination.
Our board-certified providers at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia, are here to help. Our team expertly diagnoses the cause of your frequent urination to recommend the best treatment for you.
Keep reading to learn why you might have frequent urination and the signs it’s time to schedule an appointment.
Possible causes of frequent urination
Most people urinate around a half-dozen or so times each day. Of course, if you drink lots of water or consume large quantities of caffeine, you might find yourself running to the bathroom more often.
But if you pee over ten times a day, get up multiple times at night to void your bladder, or find yourself running to the bathroom more than normal without a known cause, you’re experiencing what’s called frequent urination.
Frequent urination has many possible triggers, and many, like pregnancy, are normal and nothing to worry about. Others may require lifestyle changes to help control the urge to pee but aren’t linked to a health concern.
Sometimes, frequent urination is a sign of an underlying health issue. Here’s a look at some causes of frequent urination:
- Urinary incontinence
- Bladder infection, irritation, injury, or disease
- Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
- Structural difference in your urinary system (e.g., stricture)
- Overactive bladder
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Bladder or kidney stones
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Prostate cancer
- Interstitial cystitis
- Kidney cancer
- A tumor or mass putting pressure on your urinary system
- Bladder cancer
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Anxiety disorders
In addition, if you’ve experienced a stroke or have another medical condition that affects your brain or nervous system, you may notice a more frequent urge to urinate or even have trouble controlling your bladder.
Signs you should see us about frequent urination
If you don’t know why you need to urinate more often than usual, it’s time to see us. An issue with the urinary system can often trigger the problem, but it could be another health issue.
For that reason, it’s always a good idea to schedule an appointment when you have frequent urination, especially if:
- You can’t identify an obvious cause (e.g., drinking lots of tea, coffee, alcohol, or more fluids)
- You’re getting up at night to pee
- Having to run to the bathroom is interfering with your daily life
Since this condition has many possible causes, it’s important for our team to identify the cause.
When to seek immediate care for frequent urination
Occasionally, when frequent urination accompanies other symptoms, it could be a sign of a serious medical issue that requires urgent attention. If you experience any of the following along with the need to urinate frequently, don’t wait to get medical help:
- Fever
- Loss of bladder control
- Inability or severe difficulty urinating
- Pain in your side or lower belly
- Large quantities of blood in the urine
- Penile discharge or pus
You should also get immediate care if your frequent urination comes with an increase in thirst or vision problems.
How we help you manage frequent urination
The right treatment can make a significant difference, giving you relief from the frustration of rushing to the bathroom so often. But determining the best treatment depends on what’s causing your frequent urination.
That’s why your Urological Associates providers talk to you about your symptoms, conduct a physical exam, and order any tests necessary to get to the bottom of your need to pee. That may include imaging tests (e.g., ultrasound; MRI), STD testing, urinalysis, and neurological tests.
Depending on why you’re experiencing frequent urination, your personalized treatment plan may include one or more of the following therapeutic modalities:
- Lifestyle changes (e.g., reducing caffeine intake)
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Treatments for prostate cancer
- InterStim® therapy to help improve bladder control
- Botox® injections to relax bladder muscles
- Bladder retraining
To help manage frequent urination, schedule an appointment online or over the phone at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia.