Frequent urination: Causes and how to manage

Everyone is different when it comes to bathroom habits.  How often you pee in a day will depend on how much fluid you are drinking, your bladder size, the external temperature, and whether you are taking any medication. 

But if you start to experience more urges to pee or find yourself peeing more than your usual, this may signal something else is going on, and you may need to see a healthcare professional.

Constant urge to urinate with little or no output

You may feel an urge to pee, but then only have little or no urine coming out.

Possible causes may include:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

UTIs are infections that develop in the urinary system (for example in the bladder). Both men and women can have UTIs, but women may be more likely to get them.

Around 40–60% of women will develop a UTI at some point in their life.

The symptoms of a UTI can include:

• a burning sensation when you pee
• frequent or intense urges to pee (even though you don’t pee much or at all)
• cloudy urine (darker than usual) or blood in your urine

Seeking the help of a healthcare professional is highly advised if you have any symptoms of a UTI. If you also have fever, vomiting, nausea, or severe pain in your back, medical support may be especially important as these symptoms may signal a kidney infection.

Treatment of a UTI will usually involve taking antibiotics like sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim (Bactrim) or nitrofurantoin mono (Macrobid). 

What antibiotic healthcare professionals prescribe you for a UTI will depend on the bacteria causing your infection and your medical history.

Pregnancy

You may experience increased pressure on your bladder during pregnancy to accommodate the fetus at the same time your body goes through a lot of hormonal changes. This may make you urinate more often (sometimes with little output).

It is natural to experience an urge to pee more frequently during pregnancy. You may want to stay hydrated as much as possible.

Experts suggest that you may also have an increased chance of developing a UTI. If you notice any symptoms of a UTI, seeking the prompt support of your healthcare professional is highly recommended.

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB)

OAB describes a range of urinary symptoms including:

• an uncontrollable or sudden urge to pee
• peeing more often than usual
• waking up to pee several times during the night
• leaking urine when you feel the urge to pee

Research suggests that around 36% of men and 43% of women over the age of 40 have symptoms of OAB. It is a common condition, and your treatment options may include:

• regular pelvic floor exercises
• botox to stop your bladder muscles from contracting too often
• nerve stimulation to change the electrical signals traveling to the bladder
• surgery

Medications for overactive bladder syndrome may include:

• mirabegron (Myrbetriq)
• trospium chloride (Sanctura)
• tolterodine (Detrol)

Frequent urination with regular or increased output

If you start to drink more fluids than usual, you are likely to pee more often and more quantity.

Other factors may also cause you to pee more (with regular or increased urine output), and these include:

Diabetes

Diabetes refers to a group of conditions that cause significantly high blood sugar levels and affect how you use food for energy.

Types of diabetes include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

Symptoms of diabetes may include:

• increased urination and thirst
• increased hunger
• tiredness
• blurred vision
• tingling or numbness in your hands or feet
• unexplained weight loss
• sores that won’t heal or take longer

Diabetes treatment may depend on the type of diabetes you have, your lifestyle, and other health conditions you may have.

Medications may include insulin injections like degludec or glargine, if you have type 1 diabetes, or metformin (Riomet) tablets if you have type 2 diabetes.

Medication side effects

Certain types of medications may make you pee more. These medications are called diuretics.

Experts say that diuretics are often taken to manage high blood pressure or to treat heart failure or edema (swelling in your body).

Examples of diuretics for hypertension include spironolactone (Aldactone), and bumetanide (Bumex).

Caffeine is a natural diuretic that may also make you pee more often or increase your urine output.

Other causes of frequent urination

There are several other possible causes of needing to pee more, and these may include:

• interstitial cystitis (long-term inflammation of the bladder)
• prostate health challenges, like an infection or enlarged prostate
• nervous system disorders that may cause neurogenic bladder (where you lose control of your bladder functions)
• urinary tract stones (in the bladder or kidney)
• stress or anxiety
• tumors
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs), like chlamydia or gonorrhea.

How many times should one pee every day?

Most people pee between 4 and 10 times a day. Everyone is different, though, and how many times you pee will depend on things like:

• how much fluid you drink and how fast you drink it
• medications
• your age and body composition
• room or environmental temperature
• how active you are
• the size of your bladder

If you are concerned about changes in urination rate and output, a healthcare professional will help you explore possible causes and remedies.

Summary

Most people pee between 4 and 10 times every day, but this may vary depending on bladder size, age, climate, and liquid intake. If frequent urination is not usual for you or things have changed, a visit to your healthcare professional is advised.

Pregnancy, diabetes, infections, and side effects from medications may lead to increased urination.