Abuja – Dr Okezie Emenike, an Abuja based medical practitioner, said on Monday that painful urination could be an indication of an underlying health problem.
Emenike, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, described painful urination as a discomfort or burning sensation while urinating, common among women and the elderly.
According to him, several factors can predispose an individual to painful urination, being a woman carrying infection and urinary tract infections among others.
He said that infections in the kidneys, bladder, urethra including having catheter in place could also cause painful urination.
Emenike, who noted that being a woman, diabetic, advanced in age, prostrate and kidney stones put an individual at high risk of developing the condition.
He said painful urination could also be attributable to vagina infection, such as yeast and fungi infection respectively.
The physician also said that stones in the urinary tract, irritation from the urethra following sexual activity and biological changes due to menopause, were causative factors to developing the condition.
Emenike added that the side effects of certain medications, tumours in the urinary tract including inflammation of the bladder lining could also be responsible for the condition in some people.
According to the medical practitioner, preventive and treatment of the condition begins with lifestyle changes.
He prescribed the use of antibiotics for the treatment of painful urination caused by Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) as well as other infections.
He also prescribed the use of condoms during sexual activity in order to prevent the condition and its re-occurrence.
Emenike advised patients to avoid foods and drinks that irritate the bladder such as alcohol, caffeine, among others for the treatment of painful urination.
He admonished patients suffering from the condition to avoid extremely acidic foods in order to help the bladder heal fast.
He urged patients suffering from kidney stones to drink lots of water in order to treat the condition as well as to prevent its re-occurrence.
The physician also advised patients treating painful urination to stick to a plain diet for several weeks while undergoing medical treatment. (NAN)
