What is Urinary Frequency

Urinary frequency means urinating more often than usual. People with urinary frequency urinate at least 8 times in 24 hours, even if they drink a normal amount of fluid. Although they urinate more often than normal, the total amount of urine produced in a day may be normal. Urinary frequency is also called pollakiuria.

What are the causes?

This condition may be caused by:

• A urinary tract infection.
• Obesity.
• Bladder problems, such as bladder stones.
• Caffeine or alcohol.
• Eating food or drinking fluids that irritate the bladder. These include coffee, tea, soda, artificial sweeteners, citrus, tomato-based foods, and chocolate.
• Certain medicines, such as medicines that help the body get rid of extra fluid (diuretics).
• Muscle or nerve weakness.
• Overactive bladder.
• Chronic diabetes.
• Interstitial cystitis.
• In men, problems with the prostate, such as an enlarged prostate.
• In women, pregnancy.

In some cases, the cause may not be known.

What increases the risk?

This condition is more likely to develop in:

• Women who have gone through menopause.
• Men with prostate problems.
• People with a disease or injury that affects the nerves or spinal cord.
• People who have or have had a condition that affects the brain, such as a stroke.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Feeling an urgent need to urinate often. The stress and anxiety of needing to find a bathroom quickly can make this urge worse.
• Urinating 8 or more times in 24 hours.
• Urinating as often as every 1 to 2 hours.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition is diagnosed based on your symptoms, your medical history, and a physical exam. You may have tests, such as:

• Blood tests.
• Urine tests.
• Imaging tests, such as X-rays or ultrasounds.
• A bladder test.
• A test of your neurological system. This is the body system that senses the need to urinate.
• A test to check for problems in the urethra and bladder called cystoscopy.

You may also be asked to keep a bladder diary. A bladder diary is a record of what you eat and drink, how often you urinate, and how much you urinate. You may need to see a health care provider who specializes in conditions of the urinary tract (urologist) or kidneys (nephrologist).

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition depends on the cause. Sometimes the condition goes away on its own and treatment is not necessary. If treatment is needed, it may include:

• Taking medicine.
• Learning exercises that strengthen the muscles that help control urination.
• Following a bladder training program. This may include:
  • Learning to delay going to the bathroom.
  • Double urinating (voiding). This helps if you are not completely emptying your bladder.
  • Scheduled voiding.
• Making diet changes, such as:
  • Avoiding caffeine.
  • Drinking fewer fluids, especially alcohol.
  • Not drinking in the evening.
  • Not having foods or drinks that may irritate the bladder.
  • Eating foods that help prevent or ease constipation. Constipation can make this condition worse.
• Having the nerves in your bladder stimulated. There are two options for stimulating the nerves to your bladder:
  • Outpatient electrical nerve stimulation. This is done by your health care provider.
  • Surgery to implant a bladder pacemaker. The pacemaker helps to control the urge to urinate.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Keep a bladder diary if told to by your health care provider.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Do any exercises as told by your health care provider.
• Follow a bladder training program as told by your health care provider.
• Make any recommended diet changes.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You start urinating more often.
• You feel pain or irritation when you urinate.
• You notice blood in your urine.
• Your urine looks cloudy.
• You develop a fever.
• You begin vomiting.

Get help right away if:

• You are unable to urinate.

Urinary Frequency in Children

Urinary frequency means urinating more often than usual. Children with urinary frequency urinate at least 8 times in 24 hours, even if they drink a normal amount of fluid. Although they urinate more often than normal, the total amount of urine produced in a day may be normal. Urinary frequency is also called pollakiuria.

What are the causes?

Sometimes the cause of this condition is not known. In other cases, this condition may be caused by:

• The size of the bladder.
• The shape of the bladder.
• A problem with the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra).
• A urinary tract infection.
• Muscle spasms.
• Stress and anxiety.
• Caffeine.
• Food allergies.
• Holding urine for too long.
• Sleep problems.
• Diabetes.

In some cases, the cause may not be known.

What increases the risk?

This condition is more likely to develop in children who have a:

• Disease or injury that affects the nerves or spinal cord.
• Condition that affects the brain.
• Family history of conditions that can cause frequent urination, such as diabetes.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Feeling an urgent need to urinate often.
• Urinating 8 or more times in 24 hours.
• Urinating as often as every 1 to 2 hours.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition is diagnosed based on your child’s symptoms, your medical history, and a physical exam. You may have tests, such as:

• Blood tests.
• Urine tests.
• Imaging tests, such as X-rays or ultrasounds.
• A bladder test.
• A test of your child’s neurological system. This is the body system that senses the need to urinate.
• A test to check for problems in the urethra and bladder called cystoscopy.

You may also be asked to keep a bladder diary. A bladder diary is a record of what you eat and drink, how often you urinate, and how much you urinate. Your child may need to see a health care provider who specializes in conditions of the urinary tract (urologist) or kidneys (nephrologist).

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition depends on the cause. Sometimes the condition goes away on its own and treatment is not necessary. If treatment is needed, it may include:

• Training your child to urinate at certain times (bladder training). This helps keep the bladder empty and strengthens bladder muscles.
• Learning exercises that strengthen the muscles that help control urination.
• Taking medicine.
• Making diet changes, such as:
  • Avoiding caffeine.
  • Drinking less.
  • Not drinking in the evenings. This can be helpful if your child wets the bed.
  • Eating foods that help prevent or ease constipation. Constipation can make this condition worse.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Have your child follow a bladder training program as told by your health care provider.
• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Make any recommended changes to your child’s diet.
• Keep a bladder diary if told to by your child’s health care provider.
• Make any recommended diet changes.
• If bed-wetting is a problem:
  • Put a water-resistant cover on your child’s mattress.
  • Keep clean sheets nearby.
  • Do not get angry with your child when he or she wets the bed.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child starts urinating more often.
• Your child has pain or irritation when he or she urinates.
• There is blood in your child’s urine.
• Your child’s urine appears cloudy.
• Your child has a fever.
• Your child vomits.

Get help right away if:

• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.
• Your child cannot urinate.