It’s normal to experience discomfort during your period, but feeling a burning sensation when you pee is definitely not part of the package. This discomfort can be both unpleasant and painful, sometimes even causing you to delay using the bathroom. However, it’s crucial not to ignore this symptom and seek medical attention. Let’s explore the five common reasons behind painful urination during your period and the available treatment options.
Table of Contents
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
The primary suspect for that burning or stinging feeling is a urinary tract infection (UTI). Symptoms of a UTI include a burning sensation while urinating, urgency, hesitancy, frequent urination, back and abdominal pain, and cloudy or smelly urine. It’s essential to consult your healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis, as some of these symptoms can also be associated with interstitial cystitis.
Treatment options: The treatment for a UTI typically involves antibiotics. Make sure to complete the entire course of antibiotics, even if you start feeling better.
Vaginal Infections
Another reason why you might experience pain during urination is an infection in the vagina. The proximity of the vaginal opening to the urethra puts some individuals at a higher risk of developing vaginal infections, such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis.
Yeast infections are common fungal infections that can affect anyone. Symptoms include burning, itching, discharge resembling cottage cheese, and discomfort. On the other hand, bacterial vaginosis occurs when unhealthy bacteria take over due to a decrease in healthy vaginal flora.
Treatment options: Treatment for yeast infections typically consists of antifungals like oral pills, topical creams, or vaginal pessaries. Antibiotics, such as oral pills or topical gels or creams, are commonly prescribed to treat bacterial vaginosis.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
If you have ruled out a UTI or yeast infection, the culprit behind your burning sensation might be a sexually transmitted infection (STI) like genital herpes, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. STIs may cause pain during urination, pelvic pain, and penile or vaginal discharge.
Treatment options: The only way to know if you have an STI is by getting tested. It’s crucial to get tested promptly to receive appropriate treatment. Without treatment, serious illnesses like pelvic inflammatory disease and complications such as infertility can occur due to permanent damage to the reproductive organs.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can cause pain not only during urination but in various areas of your body. The pain often starts in the upper or mid-back and radiates to the pelvic area. Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form in your kidneys when the minerals in concentrated urine crystallize.
Treatment options: Small kidney stones usually pass on their own when you urinate. In some cases, treatment options may include shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or pyelolithotomy.
Menopause
Hormonal changes during menopause can lead to vaginal atrophy, causing thinning, dryness, and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to decreased estrogen levels. This can result in pain during sex and pain during urination.
Treatment options: Various effective treatment options are available for managing vaginal dryness caused by menopause. They include hormone replacement therapy tablets, topical estrogen in pessaries or creams, vaginal rings, vaginal cream, and over-the-counter lubricants.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Apart from the aforementioned causes, other factors like douches, perfumed soaps, vaginal tears due to childbirth or sex, or certain medications may also contribute to the burning sensation. It’s important to consult your healthcare provider if you experience the following symptoms:
- Pain that is not relieved by increased water intake
- Persistent pain lasting more than 24 hours
- Pain during sex
- Fever
- Foul-smelling or cloudy urine
- Blood in the urine
- Unexplained back pain
Takeaway
While feeling the burn during a workout is normal, experiencing pain during urination is not. It could be a sign of an underlying issue. If your symptoms persist or if you experience additional symptoms, make sure to consult your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
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