5 Causes of Frequent Urination

Are you running to the bathroom more than normal? If you’re struggling with a frequent need to urinate and aren’t sure of the cause, our team at Urology Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California, can help. 

The average adult urinates four to eight times each day. If you’re going more than eight times a day, or if you’re waking up multiple times each night to visit the bathroom, you might have frequent urination. 

Why you have to go so often

Most people feel the urge to pee when their bladder contains a little over a half cup of liquid, so sometimes drinking more liquids than normal triggers frequent urination. If you haven’t increased your fluid intake, keep reading to learn more about what might be causing your frequent urination.  

You have a urinary tract or bladder infection

When you have a urinary tract or bladder infection, the tissues become inflamed and irritated. As a result, you develop an urge to urinate more frequently. 

Other symptoms of an infection include blood in your urine, pain or burning while urinating, and the urge to urinate when your bladder is empty. 

You have diabetes

People with diabetes have an increased risk of developing nerve damage. If the nerves that control your bladder muscle are affected, you may begin to experience a frequent need to urinate or have issues controlling your bladder.   

You have an enlarged prostate

Millions of men develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. The condition can create pressure on the urethra and block the flow of urine. As a result, the bladder can get irritated and begin contracting with the slightest amount of urine, triggering a frequent need to urinate. 

You’re pregnant

It’s understandable that women in the later stages of pregnancy need to urinate more, but even in the early weeks of pregnancy, the hormonal changes your body undergoes and the added pressure your growing uterus places on your bladder can trigger frequent urination.

You have an overactive bladder

Overactive bladder causes the bladder muscle to contract, even when the bladder is nearly empty. This creates a sudden and strong urge to urinate. It can even lead to incontinence. We usually order several tests to diagnose this condition.  

Treating frequent urination

Treating frequent urination begins with diagnosing the underlying cause. We discuss your symptoms, including how often and when you go. To help us better understand what’s going on, log your bathroom trips for a few days before meeting with us. 

We create a personalized treatment plan depending on the underlying cause of your frequent need to urinate. For many of our patients, this may include lifestyle changes, such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol, strengthening your pelvic floor, and losing weight. 

Some patients benefit from bladder retraining, which works to increase the amount of urine your bladder can hold between trips to the toilet. For patients with urinary incontinence, we provide additional treatments and care.  

Get to the bottom of what’s causing your frequent need to urinate by contacting us at Urological Associates Medical Group in Burbank, California.