Why does urinary tract infection cause urinary urgency?

The bladder wall stretches as urine collects. When its lining is irritated, the nerves can become more sensitive and the muscle may contract before the bladder is comfortably full. This can create a sudden, hard-to-postpone need to urinate, sometimes followed by only a small amount of urine.

Urinary Urgency is a very common presentation of Urinary Tract Infection. Burning during urination, lower abdominal pressure, and needing to urinate more often can occur as well. Urgency alone can arise from other bladder conditions, drinks containing caffeine, medicines, or pelvic floor problems.

Book a medical assessment if urgency is new, disruptive, or accompanied by pain when passing urine. A clinician may use your symptoms and a urine test to guide care. Keep drinking fluids regularly unless you have a fluid restriction, and avoid delaying urination when you need to go.

Make a note of when symptoms began, whether you are waking at night to urinate, and whether there is leakage, fever, or pain. This information can help distinguish infection from other causes of bladder urgency.

Get urgent medical care if urgency occurs with fever, chills, vomiting, severe lower abdominal pain, pain in the back or side, or visible blood in urine. Seek timely advice if you are pregnant, have diabetes, have a catheter, or are unable to pass urine despite a strong urge.

Ask if a urine test is needed, what could be causing urgency if no infection is found, and when to expect improvement. If urgency is recurrent, ask whether a bladder diary or review of medicines could be useful.