Pain or burning during urination can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or vaginal infection. If you have this symptom, make an appointment with your doctor.
Men who are uncircumcised can get balanitis, an infection of the foreskin of the penis. Infections that can cause this symptom include sexually transmitted infections like herpes, gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Inflammation of the glans
The glans penis, also known as the head of the penis, is the sensitive structure that houses the urethra. This tube allows urine to exit the bladder and semen to be ejected during ejaculation. It is covered by the foreskin (except in uncircumcised boys) and can become irritated or infected. The inflammation can cause pain while peeing and can be accompanied by itching or discharge from the prepuce.
The most common causes of glans irritation are fungal infections and irritants like friction. Infections are often treated with an antifungal cream that is available by prescription. Other irritants can be removed with a cotton pad saturated with an unscented general-purpose cleanser.
Long-term inflammation can lead to scarring of the glans, resulting in a condition called balanitis. This may be infectious or non-infectious and is most commonly caused by a bacterial infection, especially candidiasis (yeast infection). Non-infectious balanitis can also occur due to rheumatic conditions like psoriasis and reactive arthritis.
It is important to drink a lot of water in order to help flush bacteria out of the body and prevent UTIs. Drinking enough fluids can also help dilute the urine, making it less painful to pee. If burning persists, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss other possible causes of painful urination. Your doctor can perform a physical exam, examine the glans and the urethra, and take a sample of the urine for testing to identify the infection.
Urethritis
If you have a burning sensation when you urinate, it could be caused by an infection of the urethra. This is a tube that carries urine from your bladder out through the tip of your penis. Bacteria or viruses can cause it, and treatment usually involves antibiotics. You can help prevent the condition by using a mild antibacterial soap, not touching the tip of your penis, and drinking lots of water.
If the pain you’re experiencing is due to a bacterial infection, your doctor will need to take a sample of your urine or a swab from your urethra and examine it under a microscope. They may also ask about your sexual history to check for a sexually transmitted disease (STI). This includes any unprotected sex you’ve had. If a STI causes your urethritis, it’s important that both sexual partners get treated to prevent the infection from spreading.
Some cases of urethritis are short-term and go away after treatment with antibiotics, such as a STI or irritation from soap, lotion, deodorant, or spermicides. Others last for weeks or months, and can be caused by a narrowed urethra or an untreated bacterial infection.
If you’re experiencing severe or persistent urethritis, your doctor may want to perform a test called a cystoscopy. This is a procedure where the healthcare provider inserts a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera into your urethra.
Vaginal infection
A vaginal infection, called vulvodynia or yeast infection, can make it painful to pee. It occurs when the healthy yeast that normally lives in your vulva grows out of control and makes you itch. Yeast infections also can cause itching in your penis or scrotum. It’s important to tell your doctor about all of your symptoms and when they started. Doing so can help the doctor find the right treatment.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) can also cause pain when you pee. It starts in the bladder and the tube that carries pee out of your body (urethra). Women are more likely to get UTIs than men because bacteria can easily reach the urethra from the anus or vulva.
Yeast infections can lead to a sore, red, itchy tip on your penis or scrotum. Yeast infections also can happen inside your genitals, near the opening of the urethra or the prostate in men (for those who have one).
Your doctor may do a physical exam and ask questions about your health history. Then, he or she will check for signs of inflammation or infection in your urethra and bladder, genitals or prostate (in men) and behind your pubic bone. Where the pain is most severe gives doctors clues about what is causing the burning sensation when you pee.
Sexually transmitted infection
A bacterial infection in the urethra, bladder or prostate can cause a burning sensation in the penis after peeing. These infections are often called sexually transmitted infections (STIs). You can get them when bacteria, viruses or parasites spread through bodily fluids during vaginal, oral and anal sex or other types of sexual contact. You can also get them from unprotected sex or by sharing towels, toilet paper or other personal items used on the genital area.
A doctor can diagnose an STI by asking questions about your sexual history and doing a physical exam. They may need to take a sample of fluid from skin sores, the urethra or the cervix or a blood test. If you have an STI, your doctor can prescribe medicine to treat it. It is important to tell your sexual partners if you have an STI so they can be tested and treated, too.
A doctor can also diagnose a condition that causes your penis to feel hot, like balanitis. They can prescribe treatment to ease the pain and burning. If your doctor suspects you have a serious problem, like cancer, they can refer you to a specialist. If you need help finding a doctor, try Healthline Find Care. It lists options in your area that specialize in genital problems. You can also ask your GP to refer you to a sexual health clinic.