Frequent urination is a medical condition characterized by the need to urinate more frequently than usual. A normal healthy person would typically urinate four to eight times in a day and does not feel the need to urinate more than once during an eight-hour sleep.

However, a person suffering from frequent urination needs to urinate more frequently and may also experience an urgency to urinate even though his/her bladder may not be full. The sudden urge to urinate may also be accompanied with urinary incontinence which is characterized by the inability of the patient to hold back urine, leading to its accidental or constant leakage.

Frequent urination is often indicative of underlying health problems which may need proper diagnosis and immediate medical attention. Though it may be triggered by simple habits, such as excessive consumption of caffeine and alcohol or drinking too much fluid before bedtime, it could also indicate serious problems such as, urinary tract infections and bladder disease.

Main Causes of Frequent Urination

Urinary Tract Infection

The most common symptom of urinary tract infection is the frequent urge to urinate, accompanied with pain and a burning sensation during urination.

The patient may also experience pain and discomfort in the abdomen, with a sensation of full-bladder and a bloated feeling. These symptoms arise due to the bacterial infection which leads to bladder inflammation and reduces the capacity of the bladder to hold urine.

Diabetes

Frequent urination also indicates the early stages of type-I and type-II diabetes, as the body tries to flush out excess, unused glucose through the urine.

Interstitial Cystitis

Frequent urination may also indicate the presence of interstitial cystitis which is a chronic disease of the urinary bladder and at times, may be severely debilitating. Though the exact cause of this disease remains unknown, a majority of the cases are attributed to genetics, autoimmune diseases, anxiety or stress and nerve damage.

Pregnancy

Most of the pregnant women experience frequent urination at different stages of pregnancy. It is a very common early sign of pregnancy and quite evident during the mid-first trimester.

As the body prepares for childbirth, an increase in the amount of blood and total fluid in the body during pregnancy increases the need for frequent urination. In the later stages of pregnancy, the growing foetus exerts pressure on the bladder and surrounding organs, decreasing the bladder capacity and increasing the frequency of urination.

Use of Medication

Certain medicines used for treating hypertension and depression are diuretic in nature and increase the frequency of urination.

Neurological Diseases

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Stroke and other neurological diseases may affect and damage the nerves supplying the bladder, often leading to reduced bladder function and increased urge for frequent urination.

Also Read

Overactive Bladder Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Most Common Urination Problems
Dealing With Urinary Incontinence During Pregnancy And After Childbirth
Curb Urinary Incontinence and Enjoy A Better Quality Of Life

Prostatitis

Prostatitis refers to the infection and inflammation of the prostate gland. It usually results due to a bacterial infection and often leads to increased urge for frequent urination and difficulty in emptying the bladder. The patient may also experience pain and a burning sensation during urination and a weak urine stream.

Less Common Causes of Frequent Urination

Bladder Cancer

In some rare cases, the tumours present in the bladder wall may take up the bladder space and reduce the bladder capacity, often increasing the urge for frequent urination. Some amount of bleeding in the bladder may also increase the frequency of urination.

Radiotherapy

Brachytherapy or seed treatment for prostate cancer increases the frequency of urination in about one-third patients. Any damage caused to the bladder due to radiation therapy may also lead to frequent urination.

Bladder Dysfunction

Bladder dysfunction is quite common in people with multiple sclerosis and is characterized by a loss of bladder control. It results due to a delay or blockage in the nerve signal transmission from the central nervous system to the bladder and the urinary sphincter which surrounds the opening of the bladder.

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