Frequent Urination

What is frequent urination?

Frequent urination (YOOR-in-EY-shuhn) is when you need to pee more than usual throughout the day or night. It’s inconvenient and can disrupt your daily life. It’s also a common complaint among all people. But you may be more likely to urinate frequently if you:

• Are over 70
• Are pregnant
• Have an enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH)

Frequent urination is a symptom of many different conditions, ranging from temporary or mild to serious or long-lasting (chronic). In many cases, a healthcare provider can help relieve frequent urination by treating the cause (underlying condition).

Another name for frequent urination is frequent micturition (mik-chuh-RISH-uhn).

How many times should you pee a day?

Most people pee on average about seven to eight times per day. If you feel the need to pee more than that, or if you have to get up to pee every 30 minutes to an hour, you might be frequently urinating. But context matters. This may still be “normal” if you’re drinking lots of fluids or taking certain medications. What matters most is what’s typical for you.

What could cause frequent urination?

Many conditions and other factors can cause frequent urination, including:

• Urinary tract, bladder and pelvic conditions
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Enlarged prostate
• Conditions that affect your nervous system
• Medications and other substances
• Other causes

Urinary tract, bladder and pelvic conditions

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common cause of frequent urination. UTIs are bacterial infections that affect your urinary system. They commonly affect your:

• Kidneys
• Urethra
• Urinary bladder

Different types of vaginal inflammation (vaginitis) can also cause frequent urination, including:

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• Trichomoniasis
• Yeast infections

Other conditions that affect your urinary system and pelvic area that can cause frequent urination include:

• Cystocele
• Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome
• Overactive bladder
• Urethral prolapse
• Urethral stricture
• Uterine prolapse

Radiation therapy can also cause frequent urination. And in rare cases, bladder cancer or a tumor in your pelvis may also cause frequent urination.

Pregnancy

Frequent urination is common during pregnancy. You may have to pee more often during your first trimester and third trimester. Frequent urination is less common during the second trimester.

During the first trimester, your body typically makes more progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Increased levels of these hormones can make you have to pee more. As the uterus and fetus grow during the third trimester, they can press on your bladder, making it harder to hold your pee for long periods.

Diabetes

Frequent urination is a common symptom of Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. When your body can’t use insulin to break down sugar (glucose), it makes more pee to get rid of it. Diabetes is more likely to cause higher amounts (volume) of urine when you go to the bathroom (polyuria) than other causes of frequent urination.

Enlarged prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia causes your prostate to increase in size. It usually starts in your mid-50s. An enlarged prostate can put pressure on your urinary system and cause frequent urination.

Prostate tumors can also cause your prostate to grow and put pressure on your urinary system.

Conditions that affect your nervous system

Neurological disorders may affect how your nervous system and bladder work together. Damaged nerves may cause bladder conditions (neurogenic bladder), which can cause you to pee more than usual. These may include:

• Fibromyalgia
• Spinal cord injuries
• Stroke

Medications and other substances

Some common medications that cause frequent urination include:

• Alpha-blockers
• Antihistamines
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretics
• Lithium
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors
• Tricyclic antidepressants

Alcohol and caffeine can also make you pee a lot.

Other causes

Other frequent urination causes include:

• Arginine vasopressin disorder (diabetes insipidus)
• Bladder stones

How do I know if it’s frequent urination?

You might have frequent urination if:

• You’re peeing more than eight times a day
• You wake up more than twice to pee
• The number of times you pee per day bothers you

Schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider. They can help you understand your symptoms and find the cause. During your appointment, a provider may ask you questions such as:

• What medicines are you taking?
• How much fluid do you usually drink?
• What kinds of fluids do you drink every day?
• Are you drinking more fluids than usual?
• Do you drink alcohol or caffeine?
• Are there certain times of day or night you find yourself peeing more?
• Do you have swelling (edema) in your legs?
• Do you snore?

The provider may also recommend tracking your symptoms to help determine the appropriate treatment.

Tracking your symptoms

Keeping a daily diary of your symptoms can help healthcare providers notice any patterns in your symptoms and recommend the best treatment. In your diary, you may need to record:

• What you drink
• How much you drink
• When you pee
• How much you pee

This information can also help the provider determine what tests to recommend.

Frequent urination tests

Healthcare providers may recommend the following tests to help diagnose the cause of your frequent urination:

• Urine test (urinalysis) to check for UTIs
• Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to look for tumors or other structural issues
• Cystoscopy to look inside your bladder

How can I stop frequent urination?

Frequent urination treatment depends on the underlying condition. Common treatments include:

• Antibiotics to treat a UTI
• Changing what kinds of fluids you drink and how much you drink on a daily basis
• Managing diabetes, prostate conditions or other conditions
• Pelvic floor physical therapy to treat an overactive bladder

A provider may recommend Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor if you also have urine leakage (urinary incontinence).

What can I do at home to treat frequent urination naturally?

If you don’t have a UTI or another underlying condition, there are several lifestyle changes that may help you manage frequent urination. These changes may include:

• Avoiding fluids two hours before going to sleep
• Limiting the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink, including soda pop, tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks

If you have leaks, a healthcare provider may recommend wearing absorbent pads or underwear to protect your clothing, furniture and bedding.

What are the possible complications or risks of not treating frequent urination?

It depends on the underlying cause. While many causes of frequent urination aren’t serious, some can cause life-threatening complications without treatment. Serious complications may include:

• Dehydration
• High blood glucose in unmanaged diabetes
• Infections that spread to other areas of your body

Should I be concerned about frequent urination?

Many causes of frequent urination aren’t a cause for concern. Sometimes, frequent urination goes away on its own without treatment or with lifestyle changes. But it can also be an early sign that something is wrong, and you should talk to a healthcare provider. They can help you find and treat the cause.

When is frequent urination serious?

The conditions that cause frequent urination range from minor to serious. So, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider when you notice anything different with your peeing habits. The cause is usually a temporary condition that will go away with treatment.

Reach out to a provider as soon as possible if you’re peeing a lot and you have the following symptoms:

• Blood in your pee (hematuria)
• Lower back pain
• Flank pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Penile discharge
• Signs of infection, including a fever or chills
• Vaginal discharge

Is peeing every 30 minutes normal?

No, peeing every 30 minutes isn’t typical. Peeing that often is your body’s way of telling you that something may be wrong.

Why do I pee so much at night?

It’s common to occasionally wake up while you’re sleeping to pee. In general, you should expect to wake up to pee:

• Once in your 40s and 50s
• Twice in your 60s and 70s
• Two to three times in your 80s and beyond

But waking up too often can keep you from getting enough sleep. It’s sometimes a sign of a health condition such as:

• Heart failure
• Sleep disorders
• Swelling, usually in your legs