Physician OUR QUESTION ONE QUESTION, THREE DOCTORS’ ADVICE SPOTLIGHT Is urinating frequently normal, or is it a symptom of a serious ailment?”

‘‘ William H. Foresman, MD About Frequent Dr. William Foresman is a board certified urologist practicing in Auburn, NY. He This is a tricky question to answer, only because defining received his undergraduate education at Ronald I. Kaye, MD Richard I. Silver, MD “normal frequency” is a little like answering the question Philip R. Kreitzer, MD Hamilton College in Clinton, NY; his medical Board Certified Urologist Board Certified Urologist Board Certified Urologist “am I too short or too tall.” Put simply, everyone is different, but there are some cases in which deviation from a (quite degree at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, wide) norm can be the sign something is amiss. NY; and completed his residency at Frequency is subjective. Sometimes we Initial evaluation of a urinary tract Most of the time, frequent urination the University of Rochester Medical Center at urologists see patients who naturally begins with urinalysis and a urine culture. If is not a symptom of a serious illness, In general, most adults urinate about six to eight times in a 24-hour period, urinate infrequently and who have started fever is present, then a blood count, blood although in a few cases, it can present which translates into a daily production of anywhere from just under a quart Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. culture, and kidney and bladder ultrasound to a half a gallon. If you’re happy and healthy, the amount you urinate is just urinating more often. They still might as a symptom of along Dr. Foresman has been practicing in Auburn be close to the average frequency, but are also useful. The ultrasound helps with another possible symptom of right, for you. since 1998, and he established a busy solo because they are deviating from their exclude the presence of a stone or kidney a UTI: a burning sensation while Problems arise when you deviate from your typical habit. routine, this new pattern still can be swelling. Sometimes a CT scan or “nuclear urinating. practice at Lake Region Urology in 2004. He considered frequent urination. medicine study” may be necessary to Frequent urination can result from simple causes, such as drinking too many has held many leadership positions in his confirm kidney function and urine drainage. These cases are usually referred to So, frequency can be defined as a number a urologist if a person has had what fluids, especially those that contain caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine is a mild community, including serving as president When frequency is accompanied by urgency of trips to the bathroom more than you seem like repeated bouts of UTI diuretic, meaning it promotes urine production. If you’re drinking more than of the Cayuga County Medical Society; as and incontinence, the above evaluations will without any response to antibiotics. five cups of coffee, tea, or caffeinated soft drinks a day, your urologist might are accustomed to. A rule of thumb for be performed, and if there is any blood in chief of surgery and president of the medical In these rare instances, we will advise you to cut down. Alcohol also acts as a diuretic, suppressing a hormone frequency is less than two to three hours the urine—without infection—then a CT order a urine culture, and if it is staff at Auburn Memorial Hospital (AMH); as between bathroom breaks. intravenous urogram and cystoscopy are that controls urination. And several blood pressure medications use the diuretic negative—if there is no evidence of effect to relax blood vessels. a Board of Trustees and Foundation Board Frequent urination is a symptom that ordered. Sometimes, these tests are done in the absence of blood. If they are negative, bacteria that is causing a UTI—then member at AMH; and on many hospital might have several causes. If it is accom- Frequency can be a symptom of a number of diseases readily controlled with urodynamics can evaluate bladder function; we will order a work up for potential panied by burning, increased urgency, committees. look for uninhibited bladder contractions; bladder cancer. medication. These complaints are often accompanied by other symptoms. and flank pain, then that could be a sign For instance, a urinary tract, kidney, or infection often presents with and exclude an obstruction, incomplete Another serious illness that some- While in training in Rochester, Dr. Foresman of a (UTI). If bladder emptying, and . times presents with the symptom burning or pain during urination, pain in the groin or flank, and a persistent worked under Dr. Edward Messing, chairman it’s a serious infection, a fever might be of frequent urination is . urge. An accompanying fever should be evaluated immediately. Overactive present. In that case, call your physician In suspected IC, cystoscopy with of the Rochester Medical Center Department Increased thirst can be an accompa- bladder syndrome often also causes incontinence and urgency, while interstitial immediately. hydrodistention helps make a diagnosis of Urology. During this time, Dr. Foresman (this test usually requires anesthesia). A nying symptom in diabetes, so first cystitis causes bladder pain that gets worse as the bladder fills. was involved in research studies in both With , frequent “Hunner’s ulcer” found inside the bladder a doctor must determine if a much Some conditions are potentially fatal if left untreated. Diabetes is the urination often is accompanied by during cystoscopy is a classic IC sign. simpler explanation—increased fluid pediatric urology and prostate cryotherapy. name given to several disorders that affect how your body processes sugar. incontinence, while cases of interstitial intake—is not to blame. He practices general adult and pediatric Visible blood in the urine (“gross Often in diabetes frequent urination is accompanied by thirst, hunger, cystitis (IC) are characterized by extreme hematuria”) almost always requires a The test for diabetes is a type of urine urology, and his interests include medical “” (nighttime urination), and fatigue. When frequency and burning frequency and chronic pain. Another thorough workup to exclude significant analysis called the “glucose test” or is accompanied by constant back pain and blood in the urine, your urologist and endourologic management of stone overlapping symptom sometimes seen urinary tract pathology. The most common “sugar test,” which looks for greater disease, female urology and incontinence, with both an infection and IC is blood causes of gross hematuria in the adult than normal levels of glucose in the may order tests to rule out bladder or prostate cancer. in the urine, or “hematuria.” Like fever, population are UTI, stones, benign prostate urine, a telltale sign of diabetes. We want to hear from you. Send your urology health and management of benign prostate hyperplasia, this symptom must be evaluated as soon hyperplasia, trauma, anticoagulation, and wellness question to [email protected]. and genitourinary cancer care. as possible. tumors.

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