Painful Urination

What Causes Painful Urination?

Though women are more likely to experience dysuria –– AKA painful urination –– there are a number of conditions that can cause men to feel a stinging, burning, tingling, or painful sensation during urination. While STDs are indeed a common cause for painful urination in men (especially younger men), it’s not the only possibility. Infections in the bladder, kidney, or urethra may all lead to pain during urination. Furthermore, health issues like kidney stones or prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) will also contribute to pain during urination. Yeast infections, though rare in men, can lead to dry, itchy skin on the penis head and tip, and may also cause pain during urination.

Note also that men may experience pain during urination as a result of a UTI.

Preventing & Treating Painful Urination

Painful urination is a symptom of a wide variety of medical conditions –– some of which are innocuous, some of which are decidedly not. As such, this means that there are few uniform ways to prevent and/or treat painful urination. However, it’s important to remember that in the case of STDs, it’s possible for pain during urination to cease on its own. This does not mean that the disease has left the body, though.

Pain During Urination Without Discharge

One common misconception about STDs is that they manifest in outward, obvious ways. This is not the case. In fact, most of the time, STDs will remain asymptomatic. And just because you haven’t experienced all of the possible symptoms of an STD, it doesn’t mean you’re STD-free. On the contrary, it’s entirely possible to experience pain during urination without noticing other common symptoms, like penile discharge, bumps on or around the genitals, or a need to urinate more frequently.

STDs that Cause Painful Urination

The two main STDs that contribute to pain during urination are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are very common, bacterial infections, and curable with antibiotics. It’s possible to have both chlamydia and gonorrhea at the same time. Lastly, several other STDs like trichomoniasis and herpes are also associated with painful urination.

How to Treat Painful Urination

If you’ve recently experienced pain while urinating, it’s important to visit a medical facility and get tested right away. Living with an untreated STD (or multiple STDs) is extremely risky, and can lead to the development of other health issues like infertility. For common STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea, getting treated and cured after a successful diagnosis is usually simple!