Constant urge to pee but little urine comes out? Reasons & treatment

Having a constant urge to pee and not being able to pass urine or very little urine coming out is very distressing. It can happen in both men and women.There are several reasons for having the urge to urinate but being unable to do so.

The most common of it is infection of the urinary tract. The other reasons being pregnancy, overactive bladder, prostate enlargement in men and cancer.

Urinary tract infection 

It is the most common cause for urgent need to pee but no urine coming out. It is caused commonly by E Coli bacteria which is present in the gut and around anus . It gets carried to the genitals and from there to the urinary tract. It can affect any part of the urinary system, the bladder, ureter or the kidneys. Urinary bladder is the most commonly affected organ causing its inflammation called cystitis. Because of cystitis you have a frequent urge to pass urine even when the bladder is not filled. Women are 4 times more susceptible to get UTI than men. This is because of the short urethra. Also the act of peeing is different in males and females making females more likely to catch infection.

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UTI can be mild or severe. You may also experience other symptoms if you have UTI like

• burning sensation during passing urine
• fever with chills
• pain while passing urine 
• pain in lower abdomen
• turbid or high coloured urine
• foul smell to the urine

Precipitating factors

• reduced water intake
• sexual activity
• unhygienic practice
• cleaning from back to front
• using tight undergarments
• douching

Prevention and treatment

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Prevention is always better than cure.You can prevent getting UTI by:

• Drinking plenty of water
• Passing urine before and after sex
• Cleaning from front to back
• Using plain water and mild soap for cleaning
• Using loose clothes
• Avoid douching

If you think you have UTI visit your doctor and they

will advise you to do a urine test to look for the presence of bacteria, pus cells or other debris. Doctor may advise you to get the urine culture and sensitivity test done if required. The doctor will give you antibiotics and some other medicines to help cure the infection. UTI is usually an easily treatable condition if diagnosis is done on time and treatment started on time. Otherwise the infection may ascend upwards in your ureter or kidneys causing a more serious disease .

Pregnancy

In the first trimester due to hormonal changes you have a frequent need to go to the washroom without much urine coming out. In the last trimester the baby's head comes down and tries to fix against the bladder. This gives the bladder reduced space to occupy while filling and also the compression makes you feel like you have to pass urine. There is no need to worry. Just rule out UTI and this will settle down once the baby is born.

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Overactive bladder 

In this condition bladder muscles squeeze frequently giving you the urge to pee. The bladder may not be filled adequately so when you pee only little urine comes out. It can occur as a result of nerve damage or old age. There is treatment for these conditions along with lifestyle modifications like reduced water intake, bladder training, avoiding tea, coffee.

Cancer 

Cancer of bladder,cervix , ovaries can mimic UTI . If you have symptoms of UTI, visit your doctor to seek  proper guidance and investigations.