Painful Burning Sensation In Urethra - No Uti Or Std - Female

Kidney and urinary tract
1

I am a 21 year old female in the UK, and I have been suffering with a painful burning sensation which I believe to be coming from my urethra since September 2014. The pain comes and goes throughout the day, and it will be at its most intense after having urinated, and after sex. At its worst I struggle to walk. The need to urinate has increased but there is no difficulty in going, though I do now most often have two streams when urinating which sometimes will stop and start. On multiple occasions there has also been thick blood in my urine too. 

No UTIs have ever shown up on the paper dip test at my local GPs, though I have had UTIs in the past. I have tested negative to all STDs. I have had ultrasound scans which have shown nothing abnormal. I have had numerous internal examinations by doctors and one by a Gynaecologist, all have said everything looks normal and healthy.  

My GP has had me try at least 6 different types of antibiotics but none have had any effect on me, except for Cefalexin which I took once a day for 28 days, the pain felt lifted and sex was possible again, but 3-4 days after having finished my course I was back to how I was before them.   

I drink plenty of fluids (including cranberry juice) and eat healthy, I don't drink alcohol, smoke, or take drugs. All pain killers have very little effect on the pain, only a hot water bottle sat between my thighs brings any relief. Taking cranberry capsules, and/or cystitis relief sachets has had no effect. 

I am about ready to give up on my local GP, its doctors and the NHS, no matter how many appointments I make and attend no progress is ever made, no tests are ever taken and my request to be referred to a Urologist has been repeatedly turned down, I am only ever told to drink more water and to try a new antibiotic, which I pay for each time, no one seems willing to search and to find out what is causing the pain. Affording to go private is a problem for me though, and so I just hope there is someone out there who can relate to me and give me guidance/knowledge on what to do.  

This pain is now negatively affecting all aspects of my life. 

2

Hi there have you not been sent to have a camera to look in your bladder it's called a cystoscopy I only went to my doctors about 3 times with water infections and he sent me for one , I would push to get something more positive done they need to look inside to see what's going on , wish you well .

3

hi, l agree in thinking a cystascope is the best way of finding if youve a problem inside the bladder or urethra that doesnt show up in samples xrays or scans. l went on with simular symptoms for a very long time, frequency pain, though not on passing urine, which is more  typical of bacterial cystitus, though not so much intersticial cystitus, which is not caused by bacteria, hence reason for neg samples, i.c. inflammation from unknown cause, maybe allergic reaction or auto immune, it is fairly easily diagnosed by cystascope with bladder wall showing inflammation, sometimes scar tissue, sometimes hunner ulcer, they usually do a biopsy at same time, if posative they treat the symptoms with various meds. Its common for the pain to be worse after intercourse, inflamed area, for me also menustration.  l went down same route as you, l guess many do, gyneacologist, had examinations, laprascope, hormone pills, also ended up paying for gyny consultation, still no diagnosis, by which time gps had put it down to phycalogical hypacondria etc despite near persistent thrush, frequent aneamia, occassiona, bacterial infection, also long course anti bs for that l month. In recent years research has shown some with ic improve with anti bs used as prevetative, they think there could be bacteria deep in bladder wall that doesnt show in urine, usual anti b used is kefalexin, lve used it long term after diagnosis, which l did eventually find a gp who referrred me to urologist who did cystascope. Maybe gps more enlightened now, or jackie is lucky, but many women have suffered years before seeing a urologist for cystascope, l and they put up with too much for too long, as do many for other long term conditiions, you do have to push them, way it is with some gps.  Cant tell you how it made me feel, so much time suffering and affect of lifestyle, partner, social life. Scuse long ramble, bad memories, but with diagnosis and treatment my symptoms reduced by 90 percent, all it took was a simple cystascope, l0min job, under sedation, bit discomfort after, but no worse then symptoms, and hope youll get diagnosis, might not be ic, but cystascope  best way to get diagnosis. Good luck

 

 

4

If men suffered this would have been solved .This is perhaps why connection with kidneys ignored.My Prof found that hospital tests don't show what stronger microscope can .Then there's the remit & procedures & polic [ Low Priority]  that restrict objective research . When it concerns pyuria/sepsis how frightening & concerning is it  .

5

Hi there yes I must of been lucky or the doctor just didn't know what to do about it but I was getting infections when I had just finished antibiotics as soon as I finished tablets the next day infection was back, but they didn't find any reason why so I was given a low dose antibiotic to take all the time as a prevention I just take 1 a night every night been a couple of years now and not had any trouble .x

6

Aw hun i feel for you. Iv been almost same since july 14 altho iv had no visible blood but all my tests are normal incl cystoscopy so now im being ref to gynea. I cant believe ur gp is refusing u a urologist! I wud either change gp n ask new gps for ref to uro or go bk to ur gp n tell them u will be putting a complaint in about the level of care they are offering *or lack of! And the fact that u are female means they treat u like a hypocondriat (men hardly ever go docs unless somethin serious hence they get treated more seriously then women!) Its their duty of care to explore all possible causes

Hope u can get seen by a uro asap x

7

Hi Lynne what treatment did you get...was it the anti biotics?

8

Hi hun are u any better?

I could be suffering completly diff from u but iv found cutting out tea & coffee completely (think iv had 2 teas in a month) & just drinking water/cordial daily & washing down stairs with vagisil has really really helped me. I wouldnt say i douche with the vagisil bath water but obv some does entre u when washing. So maybe worth a try? X

9

Hi Margeret, Initially l was prescribed cimetidine and amitriptylene, l aslo bought l,arginine as reccomended, did slowly improve, it was later on that research showed that using anti bs as a preventative helped a lot of women, placebo,s didnt, so l was prescribed one kefalexin a day, and they seemed to stop any bad flare ups, odd niggly days, but not bad, problem being after 2 yrs or so lve started with nausea daily, gastro enterologist did scope and said bit of inflammation, put on omprazole, but they didnt stop if after 2wks, so came off them and kefalexin to give my system a break from meds, it has settled down a bit, will just take kefalexin if l feel it aggrevated.  But l,m actually due for cystascope next week, ah, l,m telling posters its easy, now l,m near to having one l,m bit oh no, but l need to find out if anythings amiss, so will do it and hope it settles well after it. Julie re research up to a few year ago there was no research at all in uk for intersticial cystitus, theyd to rely on getting it from usa or germany, Also agree with you Mimi, been there worn the tshirt, re phycalogical, hypacondria, and yes l think it is more common response to female,s, maybe because women get pmt, they think its ok to fall back on phycalogical causes for anything that isnt obvious symtoms, infuriating when your suffering and left to it,  l think they are obliged to refer you to consultant if your going private, Hope things have moved on for you by now.

10

Thank you for your reply and advice mimi123! I too have cut out tea and now religiously drink crandbury juice, I have also changed my contraception (from the mini pill to Implanon) and have noticed a great difference, though the problem is still there as pain will still flair up, but only a couple of days a week now. 

I still havent been to a Urologist yet, my doctor says he has put me on the waiting list (a month ago) but I have yet to hear from anyone yet. 

I will try to check back on here more regular, and will be sure to share with you should I ever find a cure, or even reason for what we are suffering from! x 

11

Apolgies for such a slow reply jackieann3, but thank you for your reply! I still havent been sent to see a Urologist, so still no cystoscopy, though I do keep asking. Changing my contraception (from the mini pill to Implanon) has made a great difference, though the problem is still there as pain will still flair up, but only a couple of days a week now. 

12

I literally feel like I could have written this myself. I am 22 and started getting this when I was about 18 and I am at the end of my tether. It started with UTI's which were dealt with by taking antibiotics and then I started getting the same kind of symptoms but when ever I went to the DR my urine samples came back all clear. I had a full STI test and was all fine, had a scan on my kidneys which again came back fine. 

Evetually I got taken in to hospital and they stretched my urethra but to my disapointment made little to no difference. I even went to a specialist who ended up putting me on bladder relaxants which i'm unsure as to why because it has nothing to do with my bladder and the pain is all in my urethra. This eventually lead to me getting crippling anxiety because I couldn't leave the house without feeling like wanting to rip out my vagina (excuse the gross detail but that is literally how it makes me feel at times). I also sometimes get vaginal spasms when it is really bad.

Right now I am having a bout of intense pain and I literally just want to cry. All I can do to temporarily ease the discomfort is sit in a very hot bath. I have been told that camomile tea is good for it but again hasn't made much difference. I have tried the likes of cranberry extract, cistopurin and so much more but nothing has worked. 

If you have any advice on ANYTHING that has helped pleaaaase let me know. I would say one thing though. A lot have people have told me to drink cranberry juice which unless it is pure, fresh cranberry juice is a big no no. The cranberry juice you get in the carton is full of additives and sugar which is a big irritant and will make your urine very acidic so try to avoid that. 

Sorry for the big ramble but I hope this has given you some comfort knowing you're not alone xx

13

l,m sure youve probably seen info about interesticial cystitus, if not its worth checking out, either on here or c.o.b site, as you do get same dragging pain in  urethra bladder, l can so relate to wanting to rip it out, lve felt that many times, its like a constant entity of dragging heat and pain thats near impossible to ignore, or switch off from, thats how it was for me when at its worst, the bladder can cause inflammation in urethra, have they done a cystascope, usual way of diagnosing i.c and other probs when samples show no infection, did they give a reason for dilation, l didnt think it a remedy for pain, more so if no diagnoses given, some get it when urethra narrow and flow poor

If theyve not done one you could ask them to do cystascope to see if cause of pain can be found. Some use d mannose, more info on c.o.b site.  Hope you get help. 

 

14

HI...I HAD A CYSCOSOPY...NOTHING...I HAVE PIAN IN URETHRA....OR URETER?...I HAVE BEEN TO GYN...TO ER...TO UROLOGIST.....MY PRIMARY DOCTOR IS SO PROFESSIONAL AND HE IS TRYING....I HAVE LOWER LEFT SIDE BACK PAIN...I HAD A RENAL SONOGRAM...I AM ON OXOCOTONS BY THATS NOT EVEN TAKING THE PAIN AWAY....CAN SOMEONE HELP ME

15

hi, sorry your having bad pain with no reason found, is your pain at the front as well as the back, urethra pain is more often at front in pubic area, although the ureters can cause pain higher up at front and back.

Does your doc think its definetly pain in lower back due to urology probs, from examining you, could it be pain from another cause in lower back, muscle, nerve, pain. Have you seen a physio or chiropracter, just in case there,s another cause for lower back pain. although l,d expect er and specialists to know. Just an idea with you mentioning lower back pain, but hope you get help soon.

16

Have you tried Pyridium for relief of burning. Ask your doctor,

17

Hello Jessica

I have felt like I am the only person with this feeling and problem for 7 years!! Two cystoscopies later, organic yoghurt, cranberry, estrogen shots, nylon and cotton underwear, coconut juice etc. etc cleaning 5 times+ a day still suffering! I almost cried knowing others are having this problem. I too have the feeling of wanting to rip away everything. Mine starts when I get in bed.

A friend has told me yesterday that because I am on Lisiniprol (7 years!!!) it could be that - should my doctor know this? Who knows....will now follow that route. Jessica if you hear of any relief Please let me know.

18

Sorry to hear this suffering if yours ... I had the same problem ... Cried whole through the last 6 years . No doctor checked me for trichomoniasis . Which came out luckily in my 5th pap smear . Just see if you have been checked for that .

And it should not be there but still as a precaution get checked for urogenital tuberclosis .

Best wishes ... I can understand your pain emotional as well as physical . Just stay strong.

19

Hi there, this may sound silly because it's so simple but I've been battling the same symptoms. I've found great relief from taking 400mg of Ibuprofen every 4 hours. This allows me to get on with my life normally until I get to see a urologist.

20

For women!!! I had bladder pain for almost 20 years. Because of former bladder and kidney problems (as a child), I was told my bladder pain was due to everything from surgical adhesions to IC. Sex was terribly painful and I suffered for years -- even while going to every specialist available. I kept telling doctors that the only time I was pain-free was during pregnancy, so they chalked that up to hormonal changes -- again still saying that was associated with everything but the real reason. The real reason turned out to be that I have an extreme allergy to Nonoxynol-9. Even the smallest amount on condoms or the gels, or whatever it is on. Exposure once would put me in pain for days and days. Please ladies, if you are having bladder pain, please check if you are being exposed to Nonoxynol-9!