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Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older

Overview

Most people will have some kind of urinary problem or injury in their lifetime. Urinary tract, Opens dialog problems and injuries can range from minor to more serious. Sometimes, minor and serious problems can start with the same symptoms. Many urinary problems and injuries are minor, and home treatment is all that's needed to relieve your symptoms.

Urine color and odor

Many things can affect urine color, including fluid balance, diet, medicines, and diseases. How dark or light the color is tells you how much water is in it. Vitamin B supplements can turn urine bright yellow. Some medicines, blackberries, beets, rhubarb, and blood in the urine can turn urine red-brown. A urinary tract infection (UTI) can make urine cloudy, darker than normal, or both cloudy and darker.

Some foods (such as asparagus), vitamins, and antibiotics (such as penicillin) can cause urine to have a different odor. A sweet, fruity odor may be caused by uncontrolled diabetes. A UTI can cause a bad odor.

Urinary symptoms

Common symptoms of a urinary problem include:

  • A burning feeling when you urinate (dysuria, Opens dialog). This is the most common symptom of a urinary tract infection, Opens dialog.
  • A frequent urge to urinate without being able to pass much urine (frequency).
  • Pain in the flank. This is felt just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back.
  • A fever.
  • An urgent need to urinate (urgency).
  • Feeling like you can't completely empty your bladder.
  • Blood or blood clots in the urine (hematuria). Your urine may look red, brown, or pink. Blood in the urine may occur after intense exercise, such as running or biking.
  • Leaking urine (incontinence).
  • Nausea and vomiting.

When you only have one symptom or if your symptoms are vague, it can be harder to figure out what the problem is. If you are slightly dehydrated, Opens dialog, your urine will be more concentrated. Urinating may cause discomfort. Drink more fluids to help decrease discomfort.

Urinary tract infections

When you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may have several urinary symptoms. UTIs are more common in women than in men. That's because the urethra, Opens dialog is shorter in women. It comes into contact with bacteria from the skin, anus, and vagina.

Infections that commonly cause UTI symptoms include:

Other urinary problems

Kidney stones, Opens dialog are another urinary problem that can cause mild to severe urinary symptoms.

An injury to the genital area can cause severe pain. But how bad the pain is doesn't always match how severe the injury is. After an injury such as a hit to the genital area, it's important to watch for urinary problems. You will usually need to see your doctor if you have trouble urinating, can't urinate, have blood in your urine, have swelling, or have ongoing pain.

In women and girls, genital skin irritation can cause pain with urination.

Urinary problems related to aging

As people age, some urinary problems become more common. Stress incontinence, Opens dialog is the most common form of urinary incontinence in older women. Multiple childbirths, aging, and decreasing hormone levels may cause changes in the pelvic muscles and supportive structures. These changes can lead to stress incontinence. It may also occur in men, especially those who have had prostate surgery.

In men, trouble urinating or not being able to urinate is often caused by prostate enlargement, Opens dialog.

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.