Polyuria and frequent urination

Polyuria and frequent urination

Most people urinate 4-6 times a day. Urinary excretion occurs mostly during the day, and at night this process is mostly one-time. The amount of urine excreted varies – from 700 ml to 3 liters. There are several types of urination:

• Increases the volume of urine excreted, which in the language of medicine is called polyuria;
• Frequent urination, although the total volume of urine excreted is unchanged;
• Urination also becomes more frequent and the volume of urine also increases.

Frequent urination may be accompanied by discomfort when urinating, difficulty urinating. Sometimes patients complain of frequent urination, although they have this feeling only because they have to empty the bladder several times during the night, when in fact the volume of urine excreted is unchanged. Frequent urination at night is called nocturia in medicine. It is sometimes a sign of illness, and it is not uncommon for a person to drink fluids late in the evening or just before bedtime, or to drink more water during the day than others.

Reasons

Thus, increasing the amount of urine and the frequency of urination, during which a normal amount of urine is excreted, are different things. Naturally, there are different reasons, but these two conditions are still discussed together, because it is impossible to excrete large amounts of urine in such a way that urination does not become more frequent. The reasons for the increase in urination are:

• Bladder and urinary tract infections, mostly in women and children;
• Urinary incontinence;
• Enlargement of the prostate – the present gland – which is not associated with cancer, ie benign prostatic hyperplasia (from 50 years);
• Presence of stones (concretions) in the lower urinary tract.

Increases the amount of urine:

Uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. It is one of the most common causes of polyuria, although it should also be noted that its absence does not rule out the diagnosis of diabetes. The diagnosis is not based on clinical symptoms, it is necessary to control blood glucose to rule out diabetes.

Intake of large amounts of fluid. This condition is called polydipsia in medicine.

Diabetes mellitus – Antidiuretic hormone production is impaired during this disease. This hormone ensures the reabsorption of fluid in the renal tubules and regulates the amount of urine excreted. There are two types of diabetes. In central type diabetes, less hormone is produced. Sometimes the kidneys fail to respond properly to this hormone. In this case, they talk about nephrogenic (renal) diabetes mellitus.

Taking diuretics or substances that enhance urinary excretion (e.g., coffee, alcohol). In some chronic kidney diseases, a large amount of urine is initially excreted as well, as the reabsorption of fluid by the damaged kidney is impaired.

Examinations required for frequent urination

Due to frequent urination and increase in the amount of urine, many consult a doctor. Sometimes this is a patient’s wrong impression – an increase in the amount of urine is not confirmed by examination, but there are cases when the complaint is based on a very serious disease, so it is desirable to know the symptoms, which are dangerous to ignore. You should consult your doctor if frequent urination and increase in the amount of urine is accompanied by:

• Weakness of the lower extremities – spinal cord injury is not excluded
• Fever and low back pain – likely urinary tract infection
• Sudden onset or onset of symptoms in the first years of life
• Night sweats, coughs, weight loss, especially when the patient is a smoker
• Night sweats, coughs, weight loss, especially when the patient is a smoker

The doctor carefully collects information about the symptoms, conducts a thorough examination. Based on the received information, suspicion arises about this or that disease. Below we will review the diseases that cause frequent urination and increase in the number of urine and will introduce you to the diagnostic studies confirming them.