Dysuria
Dysuria is pain or discomfort when you urinate (pee). It feels like burning inside the whole urinary system. It isn’t about how often you urinate (urinary frequency), though urinary frequency often happens together with dysuria. Dysuria is not a diagnosis. It’s a sign or symptom of an underlying health problem. It happens more common in women than men.
Symptoms –
• Complaint of pain, burning or other discomfort during voiding.
Pain can occur at the start of urination or after urination. Pain at the start of your urination is often a symptom of a urinary tract infection. Pain after your urination can be a sign of a problem with the bladder or prostate. In men, pain can remain in your penis before and after urination too.
Symptoms in women can be internal or external. Pain outside your vaginal area may be caused by inflammation or irritation of this sensitive skin. Internal pain can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection.
• Discomfort may be intrinsic to the lower urinary tract (e.g. bladder or urethra), external or referred from other adjacent similarly innervated structures e.g. lower ureter.
• Fever
• Foul or stronger smelling urine
• Cloudy or bloody urine
Causes –
Medical conditions and external factors that can cause painful urination include:
• Bladder stones
• Kidney stones
• Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• Chlamydia trachomatis
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Cystitis (bladder inflammation)
• Urethritis (infection of the urethra)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Vaginitis
• Yeast infection (vaginal)
• Genital herpes
• Gonorrhea
• Undergone a recent urinary tract surgery
• Prostatitis (infection or inflammation of the prostate)
• Soaps, perfumes and other personal care products
• Urethral stricture (narrowing of the urethra)
• Drugs, such as those used in cancer treatment, that have bladder irritation as a side effect
Risk Factors –
• Being a woman – Cystitis is very common in women between age groups 20 to 50 years.
• Diabetes mellitus
• Advanced age
• Enlarged prostate
• Kidney stones
• Pregnancy
• Having a urinary catheter in place
• People who are sexually active
Diagnosis –
Your doctor will perform a physical examination and review complete your medical history for other past medical conditions with similar symptoms. Your doctor may perform an STI test, especially if you have a discharge from the penis or vagina, to diagnose sexually transmitted infections.
Your urine sample will be analyzed for white blood cells, red blood cells or foreign chemicals. The presence of white blood cells tells your provider you have inflammation in your urinary tract. A urine culture reveals if you have a urinary tract infection and if so, the bacteria that are causing it. This information allows your provider to select the antibiotic that will work best in treating the bacteria.
Your doctor will ask questions about your current prescription or over-the-counter drugs you may be used to manage your condition. Your doctor may order a blood test, MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound for a more detailed diagnosis.
Treatment –
• Urinary tract infections are most commonly treated with antibiotics.
• Inflammation caused by irritation to the skin is usually treated by avoiding the cause of the irritant.
• Dysuria caused by an underlying bladder or prostate condition is treated by addressing the underlying condition.
Ayurvedic Perspective –
In Ayurveda, Dysuria is explained under the context of Mutrakrichra. The term seems to fit the comparison as Mutrakrichra is a word composed of 2 words,
• Mutra – meaning Urine,
• Krichra – meaning difficulty.
Thus Mutrakrichra means difficulty in passing urine.
Beneficial Herbs –
• Gokshura
• Varuna
• Amla
• Durva
• Coconut water
• Cucumber
• Coriander
• Cardamom
Ayurvedic Formulations –
• Gokshuradi Kwath
• Punarnava Mandoor
• Varunadi Kwath
• Chandraprabha Vati
• Punarnavasav
Prevention –
• Drinking plenty of fluids – flushes the urinary tract
• Urinate at bedtime
• Good hygiene
• Urinate after sexual intercourse
• Not holding the urge of urine for an excessive amount of time
• Women should wipe from front to back after having a bowel movement. They should urinate soon after sexual intercourse to flush bacteria out of the urethra
• Women should keep their genital area clean and dry, change tampons and sanitary napkins frequently and should avoid using irritating soaps, vaginal sprays and douches. To avoid irritation in female children, limit bubble baths, wash girls thoroughly but gently after playing in the sand and be wary of extended play in wet swim suits, all of which can lead to irritation and redness of the vulva (vulvitis)
• Avoid any irritating product on the outside of your genitals if you are experiencing dysuria
• To help prevent dysuria caused by STD’s, practice safe sex. This includes always us
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