What is frequent urination?
When you feel the need to urinate more often than you normally would, it may either be because of an underlying disease like an infection or a kidney stone.
Frequent urination can cause many associated problems and disrupt the daily life of a person.
What are its main associated signs and symptoms?
- On average, most people urinate 7 to 8 times in 24 hours. Although it cannot be generalised, a frequency higher than this can be considered a problem.
- The frequency may be particularly higher at night, disrupting your regular sleep schedule and causing overall lethargy and drowsiness during the day.
- Due to frequent urination, thirst generally increases.
- Some uncommon symptoms include:
What are the main causes?
- Frequent urination can be due to a physiological change like drinking excessive fluids or extremely cold conditions.
- Patients with diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus also suffer from frequent urination.
- Frequent urination is one of the symptoms of urinary tract infection and an overactive bladder.
- In females, menopause or oestrogen imbalance can also cause an urge to urinate more frequently.
- Urinary bladder stones are another cause for frequent urination.
- Sometimes, medicines like anti-epileptics can cause this symptom.
How is it diagnosed and treated?
When you complain of frequent urination, your physician will take a history of the onset and duration of the symptoms. It is also important to inform your doctor if you have any other problems apart from frequent urination.
- A morning urine sample is usually tested in the lab for blood, glucose, proteins or any other abnormality in the urine.
- An ultrasound of the bladder is done to see if there is complete emptying of the bladder after urination. A CT scan or x-ray of the pelvis is also done.
- If the doctor suspects any other conditions like diabetes, relevant tests and blood investigations are advised.
The treatment modality for frequent urination depends on the cause of the symptom.
- If frequent urination is due to an infection, antibiotics are helpful.
- Diabetes mellitus is brought under control by insulin therapy or medications, along with some lifestyle changes.
- If the cause is an overactive bladder, medications to relax the bladder muscles are given. Bladder training exercises are also helpful.