Passing urine frequently, urgently and during the night
Urinary frequency, urgency and nocturia means needing to visit the bathroom to urinate more often and urgent during the day and night.
It can occur alongside urinary incontinence, but it is not the same.
What is urinary frequency?
Urinary frequency can be defined as needing to urinate more than 7 times in a period of 24 hours while drinking about 2 liters of fluid.
Urgent urination describes an overwhelming need to get to a restroom immediately. It may be accompanied by pain or discomfort in the bladder or urinary tract.
You may have urgent urination issues if you sometimes can’t make it to the bathroom in time or if the urge to urinate comes on very suddenly.
Frequent and urgent urination issues often occur together. You may feel the need to urinate often, and the urge comes on suddenly.
When to see a doctor
Most people only see a doctor when urination becomes so frequent and urgent that they feel uncomfortable
Lifestyle-based causes include drinking a lot of fluids, especially if they contain caffeine or alcohol
However, it can be a sign of kidney or ureter problems, urinary bladder problems, urethral problems or prostate gland problems.
You should also consider making an appointment with your doctor if you wake up more than three times every night to urinate.
A detailed history and careful examination in clinic will provide insight into the cause of your symptoms.
We will undertake urine flow tests, urine testing and a post-void bladder scan at the time of your initial appointment, which in most cases will help identify the underlying problem.
Additional tests, such as a PSA blood test(men), MRI scan of your prostate(men), ultrasound of your kidneys and bladder, flexible cystoscopy or urodynamic investigations may be required to ascertain the underlying cause when it is not clear.