“Why do I feel like I need to pee every 5 minutes?”, “Why am I peeing so much all of a sudden?”, “Why do I feel like I need to pee all the time but I don’t?” “Is it normal to pee every hour?”, “What does it mean when you pee a lot?”, These are questions we get all the time at NAFC. Read below to learn more about frequent urination in both men and women, and what may be causing you to be constantly running to the bathroom.
Ellen had never had bathroom issues. But as she approached 45, she realized she was needing to empty her bladder more and more often during work, often racing to the women’s room only to release a small amount of urine. She chalked it up to stress for a while, but when it continued to happen, and even started causing her to be late to meetings, she started to take more notice.
“I thought I was too young for bladder issues,” she said. “But I kept feeling like I needed to pee all the time, and then I’d need to go again 5 minutes later. I went to my doctor and he told me he sees this problem all the time in women my age.”
Going to the bathroom 6-8 times per day is normal, and if you are very active and drinking lots of water, even 10 times a day may be natural for you. But if you’re running to the bathroom more than that, you may want to visit your doctor to see if you have one of the conditions below. The need to pee often is very common and can happen for various reasons. Read on for some of the more common reasons you may be rushing to the bathroom more often than you used to.
Why Am I peeing so much? Possible Causes Of Frequent Urination
Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder, also known as OAB, is the classic cause of needing to use the bathroom frequently. People with this condition not only need to use the bathroom frequently, but oftentimes it feels very urgent like they need to go right NOW.
Overactive bladder is caused by spasms that occur in the bladder, causing your bladder to contract involuntarily, even when your bladder may not be full, or you just went to the bathroom. There are many treatments available for overactive bladder, including behavioral modifications, medications, and simple in-office procedures.
Urinary Tract Infection
Most people have, or likely will, experience at least one urinary tract infection in their life. Urinary tract infections often include a burning sensation when you urinate, as well as a frequent need to urinate that can sometimes include bladder leakage. Luckily, there are things you can do to prevent them, and if you do get a UTI, they are easily treatable (even from home!).
Bladder Stones
When the minerals in your bladder become too concentrated, they can develop into stones that can lead to pain, bloody urine, and frequent urination. These stones typically pass out of the body on their own, but sometimes need to be surgically removed by a doctor if they become lodged in your bladder.
Be sure to stay well hydrated and eat a healthy diet to ensure your urine does not become too concentrated.
Diabetes
Frequent trips to the bathroom are a classic sign of diabetes. If you have a history of diabetes in your family or are worried that this may be a sign of the disease, consult your doctor right away. If you find that you do have diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s important to get it under control. Many times this can be accomplished with changes to diet and exercise, but medications are also available if you need them.
Obesity
If you’re carrying around extra weight, it may be contributing to you frequent bathroom trips. Those excess pounds place extra pressure on your bladder, which can cause you to need the bathroom more frequently. Your diet may also be contributing. Try keeping a bladder diary and start incorporating more exercise into your routine. Among other things, you may see your bladder health problems improve.
Pregnancy
Growing a baby is an incredible thing. But not so much for your bladder. A growing baby and extra weight put pressure on your bladder, and can also weaken your pelvic floor muscles. Many pregnant women find themselves using the restroom more than they used to, which is completely normal.
Many times your bladder leaks will resolve after childbirth. But if you’ve had a baby and still find you’re racing to the bathroom every half hour, consider seeing a pelvic floor, physical therapist. They’re specialized in helping you to maintain the health of your pelvic floor muscles (the ones that support your bladder, bowel, and uterus) and can help you strengthen your muscles so that you don’t constantly need the bathroom.
Menopause
Changing hormones can wreak havoc on your body, and your bladder. Menopause can cause you to lose elasticity in your bladder, leading to irritation. It can also impact the nerves that control your bladder, leading to Overactive Bladder. For these reasons, increased urination and bladder leaks are common in menopausal women.
Plus, over time, our pelvic floor muscles naturally weaken if not properly cared for, which can cause you to need the bathroom more often than not. Again, a physical therapist can be a lifesaver here, helping to show you moves that can strengthen your pelvic floor and get things back to normal.
Prostate Issues
When a man’s prostate becomes too big, it can cause a blockage of urine, which results in an overactive bladder. Men may experience nighttime awakenings to use the bathroom (nocturia), frequent trips to the bathroom, or even a weak urine stream. There are medications that can help with this, and in more severe cases, surgery may be an option.
Bladder Cancer
While less common, frequent urination can be a sign of bladder cancer. Other symptoms of bladder cancer may also include the presence of blood in the urine. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, see your doctor right away to determine the cause.
Interstitial Cystitis
IC is a condition that is often hard to diagnose since it has many of the same symptoms as other conditions. Symptoms typically include overactive bladder (urinary urgency and frequency), but also pelvic pain, which typically isn’t a symptom of OAB. Most IC patients also do not experience urinary incontinence, which is more common in OAB patients.
If you feel you may have Interstitial Cystitis, talk with your doctor about the different tests that can be done to diagnose the condition, and the treatment options available to you.
Nocturia
Nocturia is defined as the need to awaken more than 1 x per night to use the bathroom. While there are many things that may contribute to nocturia, it’s typically caused by nocturia polyuria, which is when the kidneys produce too much urine. While waking up a few times to use the bathroom may seem harmless, it can have a very negative effect on your quality of life due to lost sleep and resulting grogginess the following day.
Fortunately, there are many treatment options for frequent urination. The first step is to identify the root cause of the problem. If you find yourself needing to pee more than 8-10 times per day, talk to your doctor about it. He or she will help you find a diagnosis for the condition and together, you can find a way to treat it.
When to Talk To Your Doctor
Always needing to pee may be the cause of many different causes, and it’s important to get checked out by your doctor to treat any underlying condition. If you find that your life is disrupted by needing to visit the bathroom all the time make an appointment to see a specialist. They’ll be able to provide a proper diagnosis and give you the tools you need to find relief.
Read our tips on how to talk to your doctor, and if you’re searching for a specialist, check out our Find A Doctor tool to locate one in your area.
20 Responses
I have small bladder that irritates easily over certain drinks and stress situations and lack of sleep. I have to force myself up at night depending situation several times. When early in the sleep usually get up and go to bathroom, but later at night just pee in pull up underwear
I am 67 and have an enlarged prostrate. I had the 24 hr urine collection which was normal. I pee then 5 minutes later I pee the same amount. Don’t want invasive tests done. Am taking Doxazosin 8 mg didn’t help
I constantly pee about 8 to 10 times a day. I went to see my primary Nurse Practitioner and she put in a consult for me to get an ultrasound. However, the results came back nothing was wrong. I really don’t know what to do about this situation.
I am in middle school and need to pee almost every hour and if I don’t, then it feels like it’s been way too long since I went and it’s becoming an issue. I just want to get to the root of the issue and deal with it.
Tengo 39 años y estoy orinando cada 10 minutos no sé qué hacer el médico dice que tengo piedritas en la orina, no me deja dormir que hago
Before thinking frequent urination is a problem, once should keep check on how many times they are going to bathroom in proportional to their fluid intake and activities involved along with any changes in urine. If any abnormality detected then one should visit an urologist
Tengo micción frecuente desde hace 4 meses aproximadamente, no tengo infección y en TAC de abdomen, pelvis y tórax , pues me hicieron lobectomía pulmonar, todo sale bien, estoy muy angustiada
Constantly going to the toilet all day and night.
When l am out l will need a toilet Constantly
Im peeing like literally 7-10 times an hour with a continuos feeling that I accomplished nothing and go back again to pee more every 15 minutes… for some reason this only starts after 1pm and usually lets me sleep at 1am
I’m a 62 year old mail in great shape I go to the gym 4 to 5 times a week but I pee at least 10 to 12 times a day and at least 1 time in the night. My flow is not the same as it was when I was younger, there is not burning sensation and no blood in my urine just concerned that this could be many things
I need to go with urgency 7-8 times a day & 5-6 times a night causing me some sleepless nights
I had blood tests done recently and was told everything was fine. Yet I pee roughly 15 or 16 times during the day ( thankfully, only once at night) so I am sometimes going twice within the hour. There’s no pain or burning sensation, it is just annoying. I worry it is an electrolyte disturbance causing the problem.
I pee at least 10 times a day i am fit for my age. If i hear water i need to wee. If i drink before bed i get up during the night so i try not to drink at all.
I have this problem for so long I go the night I go to the bathroom so many times I am so tired about this. I go to my doctor all the results come up good but still I have a same symptoms… I don’t know what can’t I do???
I have oab but much worse since surgery 7 weeks ago urinary tests normal so no infection
Have to go every 2 hours day and night I literally have to wake myself during the night to a nagging urge to pee so I get up to go or pee in pads
Been on oxybutynin for few years talk to doctor tomorrow wonder if higher dose or even different medications will help
I feel Some time Burning at tip of penis, sometime irritation after urine at penis , then automatically lots of urine with valume 3 4 times continuously every hour, burning after stool. Did Urine sensitive test, urine examination test, and abdominal ultrasound test all are normal . What could be my problem please advise
228 times no control had botox 1 time now wants to do it a gain i beleave I need a bladder left ( runs in family )
I have a low fever. Going to the bathroom every 30 minutes.. been diagnosed with our reticulitis six months ago.
Male. Every morning for the last few months I’m peeing 5 to 8 times before I leave home.
This continues every hour sometimes more all day long as well as through the night.
Often as soon as I stand up!
No discharge smell or burning but have a shooting pain in groin area when peeing!
i pee my pants every day and I’m in high school like what the fuck is wrong with me