Frequent urination

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Frequent urination is the need to urinate more often than is normal for you. The amount you urinate may be less than normal, about the same as normal or more than normal.

Frequent urination may be a problem affecting you both day and night, or you may find that you need to urinate frequently only during the night (nocturia).

In addition to being a sign of a medical condition, frequent urination can affect your sleep, work and general well-being.

Causes
References
  1. Urinary frequency. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/genitourinary_disorders/symptoms_of_genitourinary_disorders/urinary_frequency.html. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  2. Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191205553-4/0/1481/0.html#. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  3. A basic guide to bladder health. American Urological Association. http://www.urologyhealth.org/content/moreinfo/bladderbasics.pdf. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  4. Diabetes insipidus. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/insipidus/index.htm. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  5. Heart failure medications. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/PreventionTreatmentofHeartFailure/Heart-Failure-Medications_UCM_306342_Article.jsp. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  6. Your urinary system and how it works. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yoururinary. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  7. Pyelonephritis: Kidney infection. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/pyelonephritis/. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  8. Overactive bladder. American Urological Association. http://www.urologyhealth.org/print/index.cfm?topic=450. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  9. Radiation therapy to the pelvis. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/TreatmentTypes/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiationTherapyAGuideforPatientsandFamilies/understanding-radiation-therapy-radiation-to-pelvis. Accessed June 14, 2012.
  10. Diabetes overview. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/index.htm. Accessed June 14, 2012.
MY01249 July 20, 2012

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