What is frequent urination?

Frequent urination is when you need to urinate (pee or wee) more than 8 times in a 24-hour period. Nocturia is frequent night-time urination.

The older you are, the more likely you are to have frequent urination. But it can happen to people of any age.

The need to urinate frequently can interfere with your daily life because of the need for extra visits to the toilet.

What symptoms are related to frequent urination?

Depending on the cause of needing to urinate often (excessive peeing), you may also have other symptoms. These can include:

• a fever or chills
• pain when urinating
• an urgency (sudden need) to urinate
• nocturia (waking more than once at night to urinate)
• incontinence (loss of bladder control) or leakage
• pain in your abdomen (tummy) or perineal region (the area around your anus)
• weak flow of urine or feeling that your bladder did not completely empty
• painful ejaculation in males

What causes frequent urination?

There are many possible causes of frequent urination. These can include irritation of your bladder, and changes in nerve pathways and muscle function as you grow older.

Some of the causes include:

• urinary tract infection — also known as a UTI
• cystitis — inflammation of your bladder
• overactive bladder syndrome
• constipation

Frequent urination is also a common symptom of prostate problems such as:

• prostatitis — inflammation of the prostate due to an infection or other cause
• benign prostate hypertrophy — enlarged prostate
• prostate cancer
• prostate surgery

Some things that can worsen nocturia include:

• taking diuretic medicines in the evening
• drinking a lot of fluids, especially tea, coffee or alcohol before going to bed
• poor sleeping habits

Other conditions that can be related to excessive urination or nocturia are:

• heart failure
• diabetes
• pregnancy
• bladder problems after giving birth
• menopause

How is the cause of frequent urination diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They will also consider your general health and what medicines you take.

The examination might include your:

• abdomen (tummy)
• pelvis
• genital area
• reflexes

Your doctor might suggest you keep a diary of your symptoms and how much fluid you drink at different times of the day.

Depending on what your doctor thinks could be causing your symptoms, they may recommend tests. These can include:

• urine tests
• blood tests
• an ultrasound of your bladder

When should I see my doctor?

If frequent urination is affecting your ability to do your usual activities, you should see your doctor. Talk to your doctor if you often need to get up more than once at night to use the toilet. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist if you need further tests or treatments. They might suggest you see a:

• urologist (specialist in conditions of the urinary system)
• geriatrician (specialist in the health of older people)
• gynaecologist (specialist in the female reproductive system)
• specialist physiotherapist (healthcare practitioner who uses physical techniques to help with bladder control)

When to seek urgent care

See your doctor as soon as possible if you also have other symptoms, such as fever, pain, nausea or vomiting.

How is frequent urination treated?

Treatment of frequent urination depends on what is causing it. For example, an infection can be treated with antibiotics. If you have weakened muscles after pregnancy, you can do pelvic floor exercises. If you have an enlarged prostate, there are medicines that may help.

Self-care at home

If your frequent urination is caused by an overactive bladder, your doctor may suggest some things you can do for yourself, such as:

• maintaining a healthy weight
• limiting your intake of bladder stimulants, such as caffeine and alcohol
• quitting smoking
• reducing how much fluid you drink
• making sure you avoid constipation
• doing pelvic floor exercises

Medicines for frequent urination

Medicines can be used to treat some of the causes of frequent urination. Talk to your doctor or specialist about whether medicines may be helpful for you. There are a range of medicines available for an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer.

Your doctor can also review the medicines you take for other conditions, and the times when you take them.

Other treatment options

Overactive bladder is very common but can be difficult to treat.

If you are unable to control when you urinate, you can use incontinence pads.

If you are worried about falling when you get up at night to urinate, light the path to the toilet. You can also place a commode near your bed.

Your doctor or a physiotherapist might give you a bladder training program. This is where you have a timetable for when you should use the toilet to help with your bladder control.

In some cases, your urologist may suggest a surgical procedure or a nerve stimulation device.

What are the complications of frequent urination?

You may have chronic (ongoing) symptoms of frequent urination. Some complications might be:

• incontinence or leakage of urine
• falling when you get up at night
• not being able to get back to sleep
• less enjoyment of sex
• emotional impact on your enjoyment of life in general

Can frequent urination be prevented?

Speak to your doctor before making a big change in how much water you drink each day. If you don’t drink enough, you can get dehydrated.

Here are 5 tips for good bladder and bowel control:

• Aim for a healthy balanced diet that includes fibre, fruit and vegetables and grains. If you struggle with constipation, see your doctor.
• Drink to satisfy your thirst, for most people this is 1.5 to 2 litres each day. Cut down on drinks that contain alcohol and caffeine, as these can irritate your bladder.
• Do some movement or exercise each day. Even a few minutes of physical activity regularly is good for your overall health.
• Keep your pelvic floor muscles toned to help control your bladder and reduce the feeling of urgency.
• Empty your bladder when you feel the urge. Don’t go 'just in case', except at bedtime. Relax and take the time to completely empty your bladder.

Resources and support

You can find information on bladder health for women at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health or the Royal Women’s Hospital.

You can find information on urinary tract symptoms for men at Healthy Male.

Visit Continence Health Australia for support for people living with incontinence.

Call the free National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 for advice, resources and help finding local services.

Learn how to do pelvic floor exercises at Pelvic Floor First.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other languages

Continence Health Australia has resources in languages other than English.