What your urge to frequently urinate tells about your health

A frequent urge to visit the washroom can be quite distressing. Especially when you're in between some important work or travelling, it can cause a lot of nuisance. The need to pee can be linked to many factors, some of which are manageable, while others pertain to certain health conditions that you cannot help.

Read more: 7 signs of kidney disease you should not ignore

That said, if you're someone who is struggling with recurrent episodes of washroom visits, then it may be due to the health issues listed below. It is best to watch out for other symptoms and get yourself tested.

An infected urinary system consisting of kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra is called a Urinary tract infection. It occurs when microbes such as bacteria take over the defenses of the urinary tract, leading to symptoms including a frequent urge to urinate, a painful, burning sensation while urinating, abdominal pain and more. Urinary tract infection can affect both men and women and can lead to almost the same symptoms.

Frequent urination can also be caused by type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes means high blood sugar levels in the body, which causes more fluid to pass from the kidneys in the form of urine. This may further lead to excessive thirst and hunger, weight loss, fatigue, vision problems, change in mood and more.

Read more: Diabetes symptoms: What is the 3 am blood sugar phenomenon?

Hyperthyroidism refers to a condition wherein, the thyroid gland is overactive and produces more hormone than usual. This can impact kidney functions, leading to frequent urination. Other symptoms include weight loss, irregular heart rhythm, insomnia, hair loss, and frequent bowel movement.

Read more: 6 early warning signs of thyroid that women often miss

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers that affects men. The prostate, which is a small gland in the male reproductive system, produces fluid that enriches semen. An enlarged prostate can lead to many complications, ranging from frequent urination, painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation to a difficulty stopping or starting urination.

A stroke can often damage the nerves that regulate the bladder functions. Given that the nerves cannot send proper signals to the bladder, it can cause frequent urination, an inability to hold in urine ie. urinary incontinence, a sudden urge to urinate or an inability to urinate.

Bladder or kidney stones are hard, solid clusters of minerals that form inside the organs. It can irritate the bladder and when it grows in size, it can cause severe pain. However, stones that form in the kidneys are not similar to bladder stones. They develop differently. But small kidney stones may travel down the ureters into the bladder and when left untreated, can grow into bladder stones, leading to frequent urination and other painful sensations accompanied by abdominal pain and discomfort.

When a person feels nervous and is clouded with a feeling of apprehension and fear, he or she is dealing with anxiety. This, according to researchers, can sometimes lead to an overactive bladder. Anxiety causes muscle tension, which is believed to affect the muscles of the bladder, leading to an urge to urinate.