We often hear the term “frequent urination”. What does it mean to have frequent urination?

Definition of "frequent urination"

"How many times a day do I need to go to the toilet to be considered frequent urination? If I drink a lot of water, I need to go to the toilet more than 10 times a day, but if I drink less water, I need to go only 4-5 times a day. Am I frequent urination?"

I believe many friends have similar questions, so today we will talk about what constitutes "frequent urination".

Frequent urination refers to a significant increase in the number of urinations with a decrease in urine volume each time. A normal adult urinates an average of 4 to 6 times during the day and 0 to 2 times at night.

Frequent urination is defined as urination more than 8 times in 24 hours, urination more than 2 times at night, and urine volume less than 200 ml each time, with or without a feeling of incomplete urination.

Physiological frequent urination is a normal phenomenon caused by drinking too much water, being nervous or in cold weather. The characteristic is that the amount of urine is not small each time, and it is not accompanied by other symptoms such as frequent urination and urgency.

Frequent urination may be caused by disease

The characteristic of frequent urination in urological diseases is that the number of urinations increases, but the amount of urine each time is not large. Many urinary system diseases may cause "frequent urination". Due to lack of relevant knowledge, some people blindly take oral antibiotics and infusions, which not only delays the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, but also causes economic and physical losses. Generally speaking, the common causes of frequent urination in clinical practice are as follows:

1. Inflammatory stimulation

When the bladder is inflamed, the urinary center is in an excited state, producing a feeling of urination, and at the same time, the urine volume decreases. Therefore, frequent urination is an important symptom of inflammation, especially acute cystitis and tuberculous cystitis. Other conditions such as prostatitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, chronic balanoposthitis in children, and vulvitis can also cause frequent urination. Under the stimulation of inflammation, frequent urination, urgency, and pain often occur at the same time, collectively known as urinary tract irritation.

2. Urinary tract obstruction caused by prostatic hyperplasia

The prostate is located at the outlet of the bladder. When the enlarged prostate compresses the urethra at the outlet of the bladder, in addition to causing urination difficulties, it will also cause frequent urination due to the increase in residual urine volume (urine that cannot be fully discharged each time urination) and the reduction in the effective capacity of the bladder.

3. Neurogenic bladder

Due to lesions of the central and peripheral nerves themselves (such as brain tumors, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord lesions), or other injuries and certain chronic diseases (such as diabetes, cancer invasion, compression of nerve tissue), the normal physiological functions of the neural pathways that control urination are affected, causing the bladder detrusor muscle (the muscle that contracts the bladder) to become hyperreflexive, resulting in frequent urination or urge urinary incontinence.

4. Non-inflammatory stimuli

For example, urinary stones and foreign bodies usually present with frequent urination as the main symptom.

5. Reduced bladder capacity

Such as bladder space-occupying lesions, tuberculous bladder contracture or large bladder stones, or women's pregnant uterus, uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse compressing the bladder, reducing its effective capacity and causing frequent urination.

What should I do if I have frequent urination?

1. Frequent urination at night is a common symptom of the elderly. Don't panic. As age increases, the functions of various organs in the body gradually decline. Frequent urination in elderly men is common in prostate diseases. If it happens frequently and the number of nocturnal urination exceeds the normal range, it will seriously affect sleep. You should go to the hospital to see a professional doctor in time to avoid delaying disease treatment and examination.

2. If frequent urination is caused by urinary tract infection, anti-inflammatory treatment should be carried out. You should also avoid bad living habits and exercise to improve your immunity. Pay attention to personal hygiene, rest, and avoid fatigue. Drink plenty of water, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and eat a reasonable diet.

3. It may be due to kidney damage. You should go to the hospital in time for urine tests and creatinine measurement.

4. Reducing the intake of tea and drinks before going to bed can reduce the frequency of nocturia.

5. Keep a happy mood. If you are in a good mood, you will have fewer diseases. Do some outdoor activities and physical exercise. High nervousness can also increase the frequency of nocturia.

6. Avoid sitting for long periods of time, and avoid riding in a car or on horseback for long periods of time.

To sum up, frequent urination at night is caused by different factors, so we must go to the hospital for treatment in time, early treatment is the key.

Expert introduction

Zhang Yaoguang, Ph.D., is the director of the Urinary Control and Pelvic Floor Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of the National Geriatric Medical Center of Beijing Hospital, the administrative deputy director of the Urology Department of Beijing Hospital, chief physician, professor/master's supervisor of the Peking University School of Medicine, and doctoral supervisor of the Peking Union Medical College.

Main academic part-time positions: Deputy leader of the Urinary Control Group of the Urology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, member of the Neuroregulation Committee of the Chinese Medical Association, deputy leader of the Urinary Organ Function Regulation Group of the Neuroregulation Committee of the Chinese Medical Association, member of the Female Urology Group of the Urology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, deputy leader of the Urinary Control Group of the Urology Branch of the Beijing Medical Association, etc.

As the project leader, he presided over the national key R&D program "Research on Intervention Measures for Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly" (project funding: 22.5 million yuan); as the main person in charge, he presided over a number of national projects, such as: the national key R&D program "Research and Development of Implantable Spinal Cord Stimulators-Design and Organization of Clinical Trials for Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence" (project funding of 800,000 yuan).

Clinic Hours

Monday morning special outpatient clinic, 5th floor, clinic 1, outpatient building

Thursday morning, Specialist Clinic, Clinic 17, 5th floor, Outpatient Building

Every Wednesday at 10:30 am, Multidisciplinary (MDT) Joint Clinic for Urinary Control and Pelvic Floor Diseases, 5th Floor, Clinic 24

Source: Beijing Hospital Urology Public Forum