Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older

Most people will have some kind of urinary problem or injury in their lifetime. Reference Urinary tract Opens New Window problems and injuries can range from minor to more serious. Sometimes, minor and serious problems can start with the same symptoms. Many urinary problems and injuries are minor, and home treatment is all that is needed to relieve your symptoms.

See pictures of the Reference female urinary system Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window and Reference male urinary system Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window.

Urine color and odor

Many things can affect urine color, including fluid balance, diet, medicines, and diseases. How dark or light the color is tells you how much water is in it. Vitamin B supplements can turn urine bright yellow. Some medicines, blackberries, beets, rhubarb, or blood in the urine can turn urine red-brown.

Some foods (such as asparagus), vitamins, and antibiotics (such as penicillin) can cause urine to have a different odor. A sweet, fruity odor may be caused by uncontrolled diabetes. A urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause a bad odor.

Urinary symptoms

Common symptoms of a urinary problem include:

• Burning with urination (Reference dysuria Opens New Window). This is the most common symptom of a Reference urinary tract infection Opens New Window.
• Frequent urge to urinate without being able to pass much urine (frequency).
• Pain in the flank, which is felt just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back.
• Fever.
• Urgent need to urinate (urgency).
• Feeling like you can't completely empty your bladder.
• Blood in the urine (hematuria). Your urine may look red, brown, or pink. Blood in the urine may occur after intense exercise, such as running or bicycling.
• Leaking urine (incontinence).
• Nausea and vomiting.

When you only have one symptom or if your symptoms are vague, it can be harder to figure out what the problem is. If you are slightly Reference dehydrated Opens New Window, your urine will be more concentrated, and urinating may cause discomfort. Drink more fluids—enough to keep your urine light yellow or clear like water—to help decrease discomfort.

Urinary tract infections

When you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may have several urinary symptoms. UTIs are more common in women than in men. This is because the Reference urethra Opens New Window is shorter in women and comes into contact with bacteria from the skin, anus, and vagina. You can reduce your chance of having a UTI by controlling Reference risk factors that can cause these infections.

Infections that commonly cause UTI symptoms include:

• Reference Bladder infections Opens New Window, which are the most common type of UTI, and occur most often in sexually active women ages 20 to 50. An estimated 50% of women develop bladder infections sometime during their lives.
• Reference Kidney infections Opens New Window, which are less common and more serious than bladder infections.
• Reference Prostatitis Opens New Window and Reference epididymitis Opens New Window. These are urinary tract problems in men. For more information, see the topics Reference Prostatitis and Reference Epididymitis.
• Reference Urethritis Opens New Window, which can occur with Reference sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Opens New Window, causing pain with urination. For more information, see the topic Reference Exposure to Sexually Transmitted Infections.
• Reference Interstitial cystitis. This causes symptoms like a UTI, but no infection is present.

Other urinary problems

Reference Kidney stones Opens New Window are another urinary problem that can cause mild to severe urinary symptoms. Men ages 20 to 30 are affected most often with kidney stones, but anyone can get stones at any age. For more information, see the topic Reference Kidney Stones.

An Reference injury to the genital area can cause severe pain. Usually the pain subsides over the course of a few minutes to an hour. The severity of the pain is not always an indicator of the severity of the injury. After an injury such as a hit to the genital area, it is important to watch for urinary problems. You usually need to see your doctor if you are having trouble urinating, can't urinate, have blood in your urine, have swelling, or have ongoing pain.

In women and girls, Reference genital skin irritation can cause pain with urination.

Urinary problems related to aging

As people age, some urinary problems become more common. Reference Stress incontinence Opens New Window is the most common form of urinary incontinence in older women. Multiple childbirths, aging, and decreasing hormone levels may cause changes in the pelvic muscles and supportive structures that lead to stress incontinence. It may also occur in men, especially those who have had prostate surgery. For more information, see the topic Reference Urinary Incontinence in Women or Reference Urinary Incontinence in Men.

In men, trouble urinating or the inability to urinate is often caused by Reference prostate enlargement Opens New Window. For more information, see the topic Reference Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Reference Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.