Painful urination (dysuria)
Burning pain with urination is the most common symptom of a urinary tract problem. As bacteria or viruses grow in the bladder, the bladder wall becomes inflamed, causing pain when the bladder fills and empties.
Burning pain (dysuria) can also occur if the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body (urethra) becomes irritated or infected. The urethra can also be irritated by soaps, perfumes, or foreign bodies in the urethra. Sometimes painful urination is not caused by an infection, and the cause may be hard to find.
Kidney stones can cause pain with urination when they pass through the urethra. Treatment for painful urination depends on the cause.
How can you care for painful urination in children?
- Give your child extra fluids to drink for the next day or two.
- Avoid giving your child fizzy drinks or drinks with caffeine. They can irritate the bladder.
- Help your child to gently wash his or her genitals.
- If your child is a girl, teach her to wipe from front to back after going to the bathroom.
- To help avoid irritation, have your child avoid lotions and bubble baths.
Painful urination: When to call
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have new symptoms, such as fever, nausea, or vomiting.
- You have new or worse symptoms of a urinary problem. For example:
- You have blood or pus in your urine.
- You have chills or body aches.
- It hurts worse to urinate.
- You have groin or belly pain.
- You have pain in your back just below your rib cage (the flank area).
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.
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