Feeling as if you need to pee right after you pee is a symptom of a urinary tract infection.
It could also happen if you consume bladder irritants like alcohol, coffee, or chocolate.
Frequent urination can also be a symptom of conditions like interstitial cystitis or pelvic issues.
Do you feel as if you constantly have to go to the bathroom or find yourself needing to pee again right after you’ve just gone? If so, you may have, what physicians call, frequent urination.It’s normal to pee about six to eight times a day, but if you’re peeing more than that — especially if you’re experiencing other related symptoms like pain or a strong, urgent need to pee — this can be a sign of bladder issues, or prostate issues if you have a prostate.Here are six common causes for that urgent need to pee right after you already went.
1. Drinking excessive fluids or irritantsIt’s expected that you will have to pee more frequently than normal, says Dr. Courtenay Moore, a urologist and clinical associate professor of urology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, if:You are drinking excessive amounts of fluid (especially a lot at once).You’re consuming substances that can irritate your bladder, which can make you feel as if you need to pee. Common bladder irritants are:Acidic fruits or fruit juicesAlcoholCarbonated drinksChocolateCoffeeTeaTomato-based food or drinksSpicy foodsTreatment: The main course of action is to avoid or limit bladder irritants in your diet, says Moore. Experiment with cutting out specific foods or drinks and see if this makes a difference in your frequent urges to pee.You can also try drinking smaller amounts of liquid throughout the whole day rather than drinking large amounts all at once. This doesn’t mean you should dehydrate yourself — and in fact, dehydration can also irritate your bladder.You still want to consume an adequate amount of fluid throughout the day, which can come from both food and drink. Men should aim for 125 ounces of fluid daily, and women should consume 91 ounces of fluid daily.
2. Urinary tract infectionIf harmful bacteria enter the urinary tract, an infection can ensue. Urinary tract infections can cause inflammation in the bladder, which in turn causes the bladder to become overactive, says Dr. Ramesh Krishnan, a urologist at Memorial Hermann Medical Group.Aside from frequent urination, other UTI symptoms include:Pain or pressure in the abdomen or pelvisPainful urinationPee that’s bloody, cloudy, or smellyUrgent need to urinateTreatment: A doctor can test a urine sample to see if you have a UTI. Since bacteria cause UTIs, Krishnan says the treatment is antibiotics. Some people believe that drinking cranberry juice can treat a UTI, but experts say that’s not the case. It’s important to treat UTIs with real medicine and finish the course of antibiotics as prescribed so the infection doesn’t progress further to the kidneys, which can cause permanent kidney damage in severe cases.
3. Overactive bladderPeople with an overactive bladder, also known as OAB, experience frequent and acute urges to urinate. This happens because:The bladder is more sensitive, which can create the sensation that you need to pee even if you only have a tiny bit of urine in your bladder, Moore says.You may experience abnormal involuntary contractions of the bladder, which can also cause the feeling that you need to pee.Other OAB symptoms include:Intense sudden urge to urinate followed by uncontrolled leakage (known as urgency incontinence).Peeing eight or more times in a 24-hour period.Waking up two or more times in the middle of the night to pee.OAB is broad, and there are many possible underlying causes, such as:Bladder obstructionsCognitive-function declineConsuming too many bladder irritants like caffeine or alcoholDiabetesHormonal changesMedication side effectsNeurological disordersTreatment: Determining an underlying cause and treating it can help reduce symptoms. Additionally, Moore says some treatment approaches for OAB include:Dietary modification to avoid bladder irritantsPelvic physical therapyBladder training (practicing holding in your pee for longer)Oral medicationsBotox injections into the bladderNerve stimulation
4. Interstitial cystitisInterstitial cystitis, sometimes referred to as painful-bladder syndrome, is a chronic condition that results in pain in the pelvic region and frequent urination.Moore says people with IC tend to go to the bathroom a lot since peeing can temporarily relieve the bladder pain they’re experiencing, and pain is worse when the bladder is full.As a result, people with IC tend to pee just a little bit, frequently throughout the day.The pain can range from mild to severe. In severe cases, Moore says you may even go to the bathroom about 50 times a day. The condition is much more common in women than men.Treatment: There isn’t a specific test for IC, so testing will involve ruling out infections and cancer. If IC is the suspected diagnosis, treatment options are very similar to OAB treatment, including:Dietary modification to avoid bladder irritantsPelvic physical therapyBladder training (practicing holding in your pee for longer)Oral medicationsBotox injections into the bladderNerve stimulationIn more severe cases, Moore says, a surgical procedure called cystoscopy with hydrodistension can help stretch the bladder so you can comfortably hold more urine.
5. Pelvic-floor issuesThe pelvic floor refers to the group of muscles that support your pelvic organs. Some issues with the pelvic floor can result in frequent urination.For example, pelvic-floor dysfunction may cause your pelvic-floor muscles to spasm, which results in feeling as if you need to pee a lot, Moore says. Other symptoms of pelvic-floor dysfunction include:Urine leakageStraining when you pee (feeling as if you need to push it out)Painful urinationStool leakageConstipationPelvic painPelvic-floor dysfunction can occur in both women and men. But pelvic-organ prolapse, another pelvic issue, occurs only in women.The symptoms of pelvic-organ prolapse include:A sensation of pressure or fullness in the vaginaA bulge in the vaginaDifficulty starting your stream of urineFeeling as if you can’t fully empty your bladderLeaking urineTreatment: The main treatment for pelvic-floor issues is pelvic-floor physical therapy, which will help you learn how to retrain and relax your pelvic-floor muscles.In the case of pelvic-organ prolapse, on top of physical therapy, using a device called a pessary that’s inserted into the vagina, which can help support and stabilize the organs. In more severe cases, you may need surgery.
6. Prostate issuesIn men, prostate issues, particularly an enlarged prostate, can cause frequent urges to pee, Krishnan says.A common cause of this is benign prostatic hyperplasia, or benign prostate gland enlargement. Aside from frequent urination, other symptoms include:Urgent needs to peePeeing in the middle of the nightTrouble starting the flow of urineTrouble emptying the bladderHaving a weak flow of peeDribbling peeBPH is more likely the cause, but it’s possible a more serious problem, such as prostate cancer is causing your frequent urination. On top of frequent bathroom visits, some other prostate cancer symptoms include:Slow, weak urine streamBloody urine or semenErectile dysfunctionTreatment: If your enlarged prostate is benign, treatment typically involves medications or minimally invasive procedures, Krishnan says. In some severe cases, more-invasive surgeries may be necessary.If cancer is the cause of your prostate trouble, common treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Insider’s takeawayPeeing more than six to eight times a day and feeling as if you need to pee even though you’ve recently peed are signs of frequent urination.Since there are many possible reasons for frequent urination, it’s best to see a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms so you can determine the cause and the right course of treatment.
