Urinary symptoms

Overview

• Urinary symptoms: Refers to changes in urination habits or sensations experienced while urinating.

Common Symptoms

• Dysuria: Painful or difficult urination.
• Frequency: Need to urinate more often than usual.
• Urgency: Sudden, strong need to urinate immediately.
• Hematuria: Presence of blood in the urine.
• Urinary retention: Inability to empty the bladder completely or at all.
• Nocturia: Excessive urination at night.
• Polyuria: Excessive urine production.
• Oliguria: Reduced urine production.
• Anuria: Absence of urine production.
• Incontinence: Involuntary loss of urine.
• Stranguria: Slow, painful urination caused by urine flow in drops.

Common Causes

• Urinary tract infection (UTI): Often presents with dysuria, frequency, and urgency.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): Can cause urinary retention, frequency, nocturia in males.
• Stones: Renal or bladder stones can cause hematuria, dysuria.
• Bladder cancer: Hematuria without dysuria.
• Diabetes mellitus: Polyuria due to glucose diuresis.
• Neurological conditions: Multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries can alter bladder function.

Investigations

• Urine dipstick: Check for nitrites, leucocytes, blood, and glucose.
• Urine culture: For suspected UTIs.
• Ultrasound: Assess post-void residual, detect stones, or tumours.
• Cystoscopy: Visual inspection of the bladder interior.
• Urodynamic studies: Evaluate bladder function and storage.