10 Urinary System Diseases and How They’re Treated

Urinary system diseases can affect the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. Examples include cystitis, kidney or bladder stones, kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, and bladder or kidney cancer.

These conditions may be associated with infections, poor hygiene, smoking, or excessive stress. They can affect men and women of any age.

Common symptoms include pain or burning during urination, swelling, foamy urine, and blood in the urine. Anyone with these symptoms should see a primary care provider or the appropriate specialist, such as a urologist, nephrologist, or gynecologist, for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.

Main types

Conditions that can affect the urinary system include:

1. Urinary tract infection

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi multiply in any part of the urinary system. It may cause pain, discomfort, or a burning sensation when urinating.

UTI symptoms may develop when the normal balance of microorganisms in the genital area is disrupted by factors such as stress or poor hygiene.

What to do: Treatment should be prescribed by a primary care provider or urologist and may include antibiotics or antifungal medications to treat the infection. Pain relievers or antispasmodic medications may also be recommended to ease symptoms.

2. Cystitis

Cystitis is the most common type of urinary tract infection and affects the bladder. It may cause cloudy urine, abdominal pain, pressure or heaviness in the lower abdomen, a persistent low-grade fever, and burning when urinating.

Cystitis is more common in women because the female urethra is shorter than the male urethra. This makes it easier for bacteria from the genital area or intestines, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), to reach the bladder.

Possible causes and risk factors include recent sexual activity, spermicide use, urinary catheter use, pregnancy, kidney stones, and certain changes in the bacteria normally present in the genital area.

What to do: Cystitis treatment should be prescribed by a primary care provider, urologist, or gynecologist. Antibiotics such as fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin, or amoxicillin may be used to eliminate the bacteria and relieve symptoms.

3. Urethritis

Urethritis is inflammation or infection of the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. It may cause a frequent urge to urinate, pain or burning when urinating, and yellow discharge.

This urinary system condition is commonly associated with sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, or herpes. It may also develop because of trauma or irritation of the urethra.

What to do: Treatment depends on the infection causing the urethritis and should be prescribed by a healthcare professional. According to the CDC, doxycycline is the recommended treatment for nongonococcal urethritis, while ceftriaxone is used for gonorrhea.

Azithromycin or metronidazole may be prescribed in certain cases, depending on the microorganism involved.

4. Nephritis

Nephritis is a more serious condition involving inflammation of the kidneys. In some cases, the inflammation affects the glomeruli, which are structures in the kidneys that filter the blood.

Symptoms may include a sudden urge to urinate, passing only small amounts of urine, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, blood in the urine, abdominal pain, and fever.

What to do: Treatment is usually managed by a primary care provider or nephrologist and depends on the cause and severity of the kidney inflammation. Antibiotics and hospitalization may be necessary when nephritis is caused by a severe kidney infection, while other types may require different treatments.

In severe cases, nephritis can lead to acute kidney injury, previously called acute kidney failure. Dialysis may be needed if the kidneys are unable to adequately remove waste or excess fluid from the blood.

5. Kidney failure

Kidney failure, also called renal failure, occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter the blood and remove toxins from the body. As a result, these substances build up in the bloodstream.

This condition may lead to complications such as high blood pressure and metabolic acidosis, which is an excessive buildup of acid in the blood. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and disorientation.

What to do: When kidney failure is detected early, treatment with medications prescribed by a urologist or nephrologist may help restore kidney function. Dietary changes may also be recommended to reduce strain on the kidneys.

In some cases, hemodialysis may be needed to filter the blood and remove waste products and excess fluid.

6. Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease, also called CKD or chronic renal failure, is the progressive loss of kidney function. It may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages and may only be detected after the kidneys have already lost a significant amount of function.

Symptoms usually appear when the disease is more advanced. They may include swelling in the feet, weakness, foamy urine, itching throughout the body, muscle cramps, and unexplained loss of appetite.

What to do: In severe cases, CKD may be treated with hemodialysis. This procedure removes substances that have accumulated in the blood because the kidneys can no longer filter them adequately.

A nephrologist may also prescribe medications and recommend dietary changes to reduce strain on the kidneys.

7. Kidney stones

Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, form when crystals made of substances such as calcium, struvite, uric acid, or cystine develop in the kidneys. They may cause severe back pain when they move toward the bladder and urethra or when a large stone becomes lodged in a kidney.

Renal colic caused by kidney stones may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, groin pain, and blood in the urine.

Kidney stones may be associated with genetic factors, a diet high in sodium or oxalates, inadequate water intake, or recurring urinary tract infections.

What to do: Anyone with severe pain from a suspected kidney stone should seek immediate care at an emergency room. Pain medication may be administered directly into a vein to relieve symptoms.

In some cases, a urologist may recommend lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, or nephrolithotomy. These procedures remove the stone or break it into smaller pieces that can pass through the urine.

Increasing water intake may help the stone pass and reduce the risk of additional stones. Dietary changes may also help manage an existing stone and prevent new ones from forming.

8. Urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine. It can affect both men and women at any age.

It may occur because of increased pressure on the bladder, which is more common during pregnancy. It may also result from changes in the muscles and structures that support the pelvic floor.

What to do: Pelvic floor exercises may be recommended to strengthen the pelvic muscles and help prevent involuntary urine leakage.

Bladder control medication or surgery may also be recommended in more severe cases.

9. Neurogenic bladder

Neurogenic bladder is the inability to properly control the bladder or the internal urethral sphincter, which is located at the bladder neck. It may cause urinary incontinence, a feeling that the bladder has not emptied completely, and, in many cases, bladder pain.

Neurogenic bladder may be underactive or overactive. With an underactive bladder, the bladder does not contract adequately, causing urine to accumulate.

With an overactive bladder, the bladder contracts too easily, causing a sudden urge to urinate at inappropriate times. This type is more common in women.

What to do: Treatment should be supervised by a urologist and will depend on the cause and severity of the symptoms. Pelvic floor physical therapy, medications such as oxybutynin or tolterodine, urinary catheterization, or surgery may be recommended.

10. Kidney or bladder cancer

Several types of cancer can affect the urinary system, including bladder and kidney cancer. These cancers may develop when malignant cells grow in these organs, or the organs may be affected by cancer that has spread from another part of the body.

Bladder and kidney cancer may cause pain or burning when urinating, an increased urge to urinate, excessive fatigue, loss of appetite, blood in the urine, an abdominal mass, and unexplained weight loss.

What to do: Treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer. A urologist or oncologist may recommend surgery to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy.

In some cases, a kidney transplant may be considered if the kidney is severely damaged.

Which doctor should I see?

Urinary system diseases may be evaluated by a primary care provider, urologist, nephrologist, or gynecologist, depending on the symptoms and suspected condition.

A urinalysis may be ordered to check for blood, protein, white blood cells, or other abnormalities. A urine culture may also be performed if a urinary tract infection is suspected.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, blood and urine tests may be used to assess kidney function. These may include serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and urine albumin testing.

When bladder cancer is suspected, testing may include urine cytology, cystoscopy, and imaging. Urinary tumor-marker tests such as BTA or NMP22 may also be used in some cases, but they are considered additional tests and do not replace cystoscopy.