Painful Urination: Causes and What to Do Skip to content

Painful or Burning Urination: Causes and When to See a Doctor

Pain or burning when you pee is most often tied to a urinary tract infection, but there are other causes. Here is what it can mean in women and men, with blood in the urine or a fever, and when to get help.

Urinary bladder

When to see a doctor urgently

  • Painful urination with a fever, chills and pain in the side or lower back
  • Blood in the urine: pink, red or dark
  • Unable to urinate or only a trickle
  • Painful urination during pregnancy
Show all signs (8)
  • Painful urination in a child, especially with a fever
  • Painful urination in a man, with discharge from the urethra or perineal pain
  • Severe pain in the side with nausea or vomiting
  • Symptoms that have not eased in 2 days or keep returning

If you have any of these signs, call 112 or go to emergency care.

What painful urination is and how it varies

Pain, burning or stinging when you urinate appears when the lining of the bladder and urethra is inflamed or irritated. It often comes with a frequent urge, a feeling that the bladder is not empty, a dull ache in the lower belly, and cloudy or strong-smelling urine. Most often the cause is a urinary tract infection, but sexually transmitted infections, urinary stones and irritation from hygiene products cause similar complaints. A diagnosis cannot be made from a text, but you can see when not to put off a visit.

Painful urination in women

Urinary tract infections are especially common in women because the urethra is short. The typical picture is burning, a frequent urge to pass small amounts and pain above the pubic bone. But the same complaints come with inflammation of the vagina and cervix: for unusual discharge, itching or pain during sex, see Vaginal discharge. So if symptoms keep coming back or there is discharge, see a urologist or a gynecologist.

Painful urination in men

Burning when urinating is less common in men, so it should not be ignored. The causes include a urinary tract infection, inflammation of the urethra or prostate and sexually transmitted infections. If discharge from the urethra, pain in the perineum or being unable to urinate joins the burning, see a urologist as soon as possible.

Painful urination with blood

Pink, red or dark urine together with pain can be a sign of bladder inflammation, stones and, sometimes, more serious conditions. Blood in the urine is always a reason to see a doctor, especially with pain in the side or a fever.

Painful urination with a fever and back pain

A fever, chills, nausea and pain in the side or lower back with burning on urination can mean the infection has reached the kidneys. This needs help the same day. Lower back pain has other causes too: see Back pain, and for lower belly pain, Abdominal pain.

Painful urination in pregnancy and in children

Pregnant women with burning on urination should not wait for it to pass: urinary infections in pregnancy are treated under a doctor's supervision. In children the signs can be unclear: a fever with no obvious cause, crying while urinating, wetting accidents, refusing food. See a pediatrician without delay.

What you can do before the visit

  • Drink enough water to keep your urine pale, but do not force down huge amounts.
  • Cut back on alcohol and too much coffee for now: they can irritate the bladder.
  • Do not use scented soap, gels or wipes for intimate hygiene, and do not douche.
  • Do not take leftover antibiotics from earlier courses: without a test they can blur the picture and may not be the right drug.
  • If symptoms get worse or a fever appears, do not wait.
  • Note when the symptoms began, whether there is discharge, blood in the urine or a fever, and whether it has happened before.

How a doctor looks for the cause

The doctor asks about the symptoms, sex life, pregnancy and earlier episodes. A urine test is usually ordered, often a urine culture, in women with suspected vaginal infection a swab, and if needed an ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder. If a bacterial infection is the cause, the doctor chooses treatment based on the findings.

Frequently asked questions

Which doctor should I see for painful urination?
A man should see a urologist. A woman can see a urologist or a gynecologist, especially with discharge or lower belly pain. A child should see a pediatrician. With a fever and pain in the side, do not book a visit: get urgent care.
Is burning when I pee always cystitis?
No. The same complaints come with urethritis, sexually transmitted infections, stones and irritation. Only tests can tell the cause.
Can I wait out burning urination at home?
Mild symptoms sometimes pass on their own, but if they last more than two days, get worse or a fever appears, see a doctor. Pregnant women and children should not wait.
What does blood in the urine with pain mean?
It can be bladder inflammation, a stone or another cause. Only an examination can say which, so blood in the urine is always a reason to see a doctor.