Pain When Urinating

Causes of pain while urinating

There are many causes of painful urination. In young girls, painful urination is usually caused by the irritation of the lining of the vagina. This can be caused by using certain types of soap or bubble bath, not wiping properly after using the toilet, or wearing tight-fitting or wet clothes for long periods of time.

Older girls can develop yeast infections as well. A boy may have pain when urinating if his penis is injured. Kidney stones and swelling in the bladder can also make urinating a painful experience, but these conditions are less common.

Urinary Tract Infection

The most serious cause of pain while urination is a urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infection is simply the swelling (or inflammation) of the urinary tract, and is most often caused by bacteria.

There are two types of urinary tract infection: those infections that involving the bladder are known as cystitis and those infections that are in the kidneys are known as pyelonephritis.

In the first year of life, a urinary tract infection is more common in boys, but later in childhood it becomes more common in girls.

Home treatment

If you or your doctor thinks that your child has a urinary tract infection, the doctor will need to test your child's urine.

For an infant, the best way to collect urine is to insert a catheter directly into your child's bladder, under the sterile conditions in the doctor's office.

With older children, urine can be collected through a "mid-stream sample" in which your child passes some urine before you collect the sample. This is best done in the doctor's office, but if you have a sterile container at home, you can collect and bring in a fresh sample. 

Check with your doctor before collecting the urine sample yourself.  The doctor will then test the urine for signs of infection, including the presence of bacteria, blood, and infection-fighting cells. 

• Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids. 
• If your child is in pain, acetaminophen or ibuprofen may give him some relief. Always take his temperature before giving him the fever-reducing medicine, so you can tell your doctor if he had a significant fever. This information will help the doctor to determine what is causing your child’s symptoms. 
• You can prevent urinary tract infection by changing soiled diapers quickly, so stool does not remain in contact with the opening to the urinary tract for very long. Wash your child's genital area gently. Vigorous washing can damage the skin and make it easier for bacteria to grab hold. 
• Avoid giving your child bubble baths because they can cause irritation in the urinary tract, making it more susceptible to infections. 
• Teach girls to dry themselves from front to back after going to the toilet. This will keep intestinal bacteria away from the opening of the urethra. 
• Using the toilet regularly along with careful hand washing will also help to prevent urinary tract infections.