Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesWhen to See a ProviderTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
When to See a Provider
Treatment
Abdominal pain while peeing is a symptom of numerous health conditions. It could be from a urinary tract infection (UTI) or something more serious.Abdominal paincan radiate to other areas like the back and flank (sides of the torso between the ribs and hips) making it difficult to localize the pain.
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Abdominal QuadrantsHealthcare providers divide the abdomen into four quadrants. This helps localize pain and other symptoms to a specific area of the abdomen. The four quadrants are:Right upper quadrantLeft upper quadrantRight lower quadrantLeft lower quadrant
Abdominal Quadrants
Healthcare providers divide the abdomen into four quadrants. This helps localize pain and other symptoms to a specific area of the abdomen. The four quadrants are:Right upper quadrantLeft upper quadrantRight lower quadrantLeft lower quadrant
Healthcare providers divide the abdomen into four quadrants. This helps localize pain and other symptoms to a specific area of the abdomen. The four quadrants are:
1. Urinary Tract Infection
AUTIis a common bacterial infection that occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract. It typically affects the bladder but can also affect the kidneys.
While common in people of any sex, females are more likely than males to develop a UTI. This is due to a shorter urethra and the closer proximity of the urethra to the anus and vagina.
Symptoms of a UTIinclude:
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as they are used in the sources.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as they are used in the sources.
2. Prostatitis
Theprostateis a walnut-shaped gland in the male reproductive system. It surrounds the urethra and has sections near the rectum and bladder.
Chronic prostatitis symptoms vary from person to person but often include pain that lasts for three or more months. The pain can be felt in the following areas:
Acute bacterial prostatitis symptoms develop suddenly and are typically quite severe. These symptoms include:
3. Chlamydia
Chlamydiais a bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI). It often does not cause symptoms, so someone may have it without knowing it. However, when chlamydia does causesymptomsthe presentation will vary based on a person’s sex.
Symptoms in women include:
In men, symptoms may include:
If the infection spreads, it can cause lower abdominal pain, fever, and nausea.
4. Genital Herpes
Someone can be infected with HSV and not know it. When it does causegenital herpessymptoms, they may include:
An early symptom of genital herpes in women is pressure or pain in the abdomen.
5. Gonorrhea
Symptoms of gonorrhea in women are:
Symptoms of gonorrhea in men are:
If gonorrhea is left untreated in women, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can cause lower abdominal pain.
6. Kidney Stones
Kidney stonesare small, solid, rocklike material formed inside of the kidney. A stone forms when there are high levels of certain minerals in the urine. When thekidney stone passesthrough the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder) it can cause several symptoms. These symptoms include:
7. Urethritis
Urethritisis when the urethra becomes swollen and irritated. Bacteria or viruses can cause this condition. The symptoms differ between men and women. Below are the symptoms specific to each sex.
Urethritis symptoms in women may include:
Urethritis symptoms in menmay include:
8. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
PID symptoms vary widely. They may include:
9. Epididymitis
Theepididymisis a tube that connects the testicle to the vas deferens. When this tube becomes inflamed it is calledepididymitis.
Epididymitis is most common in men ages 19 to 35. The STIs chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common cause of the condition.
The symptoms include:
10. Pyelonephritis
Pyelonephritis is an infection in the kidneys. It is a type of UTI that has moved up past the bladder, into the ureters, and landed in thekidneys. A bacterial or viral infection can cause pyelonephritis.
Symptoms of pyelonephritis include:
Pyelonephritiscan lead to serious complications like sepsis (a body-wide, potentially life-threatening response to an infection) and should be treated immediately.
11. Obstructive Uropathy
Obstructive uropathy is a condition in which the urinary tract is blocked and urine cannot pass out of it. Anenlarged prostateis the primary cause of urinary tract blockage but other conditions can cause it as well. It tends to occur in men over 60 years of age.
The symptoms of obstructive uropathy include:
12. Urethral Stricture
Aurethral strictureis a narrowing of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body.
13. Bladder Cancer
Bladder canceris a type of cancer where the cells in the bladder grow uncontrollably. Most bladder cancers are urothelial carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma. Bladder cancer symptoms vary from person to person and depend on the type of cancer and its stage. The symptoms include:
When bladder cancer has spread beyond the bladder it can cause additional symptoms like abdominal pain, inability to urinate, and lower back pain.
14. Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial canceris a type of cancer where the cells that line the uterus (endometrium) grow uncontrollably. It is the most common type of female reproductive cancer in the United States and is more common in postmenopausal women (those whose menstrual cycle has ended) over the age of 60.
A few symptoms suggest someone may haveendometrial cancer. They are:
Other Conditions That Could Cause Abdominal Pain While Urinating
Numerous other health conditions can cause pain while urinating. Many times, it due to irritation or inflammation. Below is a list of causes:
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Lower abdominal pain when peeing is not normal, and a healthcare provider should be contacted for an evaluation.
Other symptoms that warrant a call to a provider include:
Possible Treatment Options
Abdominal pain while peeing will be treated based on the underlying cause. If a bacterial infection causes pain,antibioticsmay be prescribed.Viral infectionsare not treated with antibiotics and will require supportive therapy. Antivirals may be used in case of HSV infection. Other causes, like a urethral stricture, may need surgery.
Discuss additional self-care and over-the-counter remedy options with the healthcare provider.
Summary
Abdominal pain while peeing is a symptom of many different health conditions. It’s important to contact a healthcare provider if you are experiencing this symptom to get evaluated and a prompt diagnosis. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause, if it is a bacterial infection then an antibiotic will likely be prescribed.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection basics.MedlinePlus.Abdominal quadrants.Czajkowski K, Broś-Konopielko M, Teliga-Czajkowska J.Urinary tract infection in women.Prz Menopauzalny. 2021;20(1):40-47. doi 10.5114/pm.2021.105382National Institutes of Health.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Genital herpes.Office on Women’s Health.Genital herpes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About gonorrhea.National Institutes of Health.Kidney stones.Penn Medicine.Urethritis.National Health Services.Pelvic inflammatory disease.Penn Medicine.Epididymitis.National Institutes of Health.Kidney infection (pyelonephritis).StatPearls.Obstructive uropathy.MedlinePlus.Urethral stricture.National Cancer Institute.What is bladder cancer?American Cancer Society.About endometrial cancer.Mount Sinai.Urination - painful.Harvard Health.Dysuria.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection basics.MedlinePlus.Abdominal quadrants.Czajkowski K, Broś-Konopielko M, Teliga-Czajkowska J.Urinary tract infection in women.Prz Menopauzalny. 2021;20(1):40-47. doi 10.5114/pm.2021.105382National Institutes of Health.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Genital herpes.Office on Women’s Health.Genital herpes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About gonorrhea.National Institutes of Health.Kidney stones.Penn Medicine.Urethritis.National Health Services.Pelvic inflammatory disease.Penn Medicine.Epididymitis.National Institutes of Health.Kidney infection (pyelonephritis).StatPearls.Obstructive uropathy.MedlinePlus.Urethral stricture.National Cancer Institute.What is bladder cancer?American Cancer Society.About endometrial cancer.Mount Sinai.Urination - painful.Harvard Health.Dysuria.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection basics.MedlinePlus.Abdominal quadrants.Czajkowski K, Broś-Konopielko M, Teliga-Czajkowska J.Urinary tract infection in women.Prz Menopauzalny. 2021;20(1):40-47. doi 10.5114/pm.2021.105382National Institutes of Health.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Genital herpes.Office on Women’s Health.Genital herpes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About gonorrhea.National Institutes of Health.Kidney stones.Penn Medicine.Urethritis.National Health Services.Pelvic inflammatory disease.Penn Medicine.Epididymitis.National Institutes of Health.Kidney infection (pyelonephritis).StatPearls.Obstructive uropathy.MedlinePlus.Urethral stricture.National Cancer Institute.What is bladder cancer?American Cancer Society.About endometrial cancer.Mount Sinai.Urination - painful.Harvard Health.Dysuria.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection basics.
MedlinePlus.Abdominal quadrants.
Czajkowski K, Broś-Konopielko M, Teliga-Czajkowska J.Urinary tract infection in women.Prz Menopauzalny. 2021;20(1):40-47. doi 10.5114/pm.2021.105382
National Institutes of Health.Prostatitis: inflammation of the prostate.
MedlinePlus.Chlamydia infections.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Genital herpes.
Office on Women’s Health.Genital herpes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About gonorrhea.
National Institutes of Health.Kidney stones.
Penn Medicine.Urethritis.
National Health Services.Pelvic inflammatory disease.
Penn Medicine.Epididymitis.
National Institutes of Health.Kidney infection (pyelonephritis).
StatPearls.Obstructive uropathy.
MedlinePlus.Urethral stricture.
National Cancer Institute.What is bladder cancer?
American Cancer Society.About endometrial cancer.
Mount Sinai.Urination - painful.
Harvard Health.Dysuria.
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