Causes of Frequent Urination

Frequent urination is the need to urinate more than one does normally and it can be an inconvenience, as well as can be an indicator of an infection in the urinary tract.

Below are twenty five possible causes that can be linked to frequent urination:

1. Kidney stones, or renal calculi, are solid masses made of crystals. Kidney stones usually originate in your kidneys, but can develop anywhere along your urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Kidney stones are known to be one of the most painful medical conditions.
2. Urethritis is a condition that affects the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder so it can be expelled from the body. Semen also passes through the male urethra. The core cause of urethritis is usually infection. This can cause the urethra to become irritated and inflamed.
3. Menopause is a biological process which is natural and occurs in every woman’s life. This can also lead to frequent urination.
4. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can occur in any part of the urinary tract. Bacteria cause the vast majority of UTIs, but fungi or viruses can also cause them. UTIs are the second most common type of infection.
5. Bladder stones are small mineral masses that develop in the bladder when the urine becomes concentrated. Generally, they pass out of the body naturally, however, further complications can occur if left untreated.
6. Benign Prostate Enlargement is when the prostate gland is only found in men and is normally about the size of a walnut. It lies immediately below the bladder and just above the penis. A tube called the urethra, which carries urine from your bladder, passes through the center of the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate can press on the urethra, which causes narrowing or blockage in the tube and prevents your urine from flowing normally.
7. Bladder Neck Obstruction is the pressure caused by the abnormal size of the prostate strains the bladder. In some cases, bladder neck obstruction may be a side effect of surgery to remove the prostate, or radiation treatments used to treat prostate cancer.
8. In some cases, the bladder contracts when it should not, causing some urine to leak through the sphincter muscles. It is also known as overactive bladder, bladder spasms, spasmodic bladder, irritable bladder, or detrusor instability.
9. Bladder infection, also called cystitis, occurs within the bladder. Some people call a bladder infection a UTI.
10. Cystitis occurs when the bladder gets inflamed and it is not only caused by bacteria but can also be caused by certain drugs, exposure to radiation, or exposure to other irritants such as a long-term catheter use or spermicidal jellies.
11. An overactive bladder is a problem that causes a sudden urge to urinate. These urges may or may not cause urine to leak out of the bladder, as they are difficult to stop. When leakage occurs, it is called urinary incontinence (UI) and is defined as the involuntary loss of urine.
12. Cancer that grows in the tissue of the bladder.
13. Neurogenic bladder is a condition caused by the nerves between the bladder and the brain not working properly. This can be due to a brain disorder or bladder nerve damage.
14. Interstitial cystitis occurs in the bladder when there is chronic inflammation which leads to pelvic and abdominal pain.
15. Prostatitis- The prostate is a small gland located under the bladder in men. It produces a fluid that makes up between 50 and 75 percent of semen.
16. Urethral stricture is a medical condition that mainly affects men. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), very few women get urethral strictures. In addition, very few individuals are born with this condition.
17. Autonomic neuropathy is a condition that is caused by damage to the nerves that assist an organ’s functioning. This nerve damage disturbs signal processing between the autonomic nervous system and the brain. When your autonomic nerves are injured, your blood pressure, heart rate, perspiration, bowel movements, bladder emptying, and digestion may be affected.
18. Acute pyelonephritis is a sudden and severe kidney infection. This condition causes the kidneys to swell, can permanently damage the kidneys, and can even be life-threatening.
19. Hydronephrosis is blockage in one of your ureters, the tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder.
20. Autonomic dysreflexia, also known as autonomic hyperreflexia, is a condition where the involuntary nervous system overreacts to external stimuli.
21. Ovarian cancer is also one of the causes that result in frequent urination.
22. Reiter’s syndrome is a medical condition typically affecting young men, characterized by arthritis, conjunctivitis, and urethritis, and is caused by an unknown pathogen, possibly chlamydia.
23. Prostatitis which can be caused by a bacterial urinary tract infection. STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause acute bacterial prostatitis.
24. Acetone poisoning is rare. The body is capable of breaking down large amounts of acetone naturally. Therefore, for overexposure to occur, very large amounts must be produced, ingested, or inhaled. Acetone poisoning can be caused by metabolic diseases, starvation, or chemical exposure. The symptoms of acetone poisoning include headaches, dizziness, and, in rare cases, death.
25. Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.