Dysuria in Women

1. See Also
   1. Dysuria
   2. Dysuria in Men
   3. Urinary Tract Infection
   4. Periuretheral Contact Dermatitis in Women
2. Causes
   1. See Dysuria for non-gender specific causes
   2. See Periuretheral Contact Dermatitis in Women
   3. Urinary Tract Infection
      1. Acute Cystitis
      2. Pyelonephritis
   4. Genital Herpes (HSV II)
   5. Urethritis
      1. Gonorrhea
      2. Chlamydia
   6. Vulvodynia
   7. Vaginitis
      1. Candidal Vaginitis
      2. TrichomonasVaginitis
      3. Atrophic Vaginitis (post-Menopause)
   8. Interstitial Cystitis
   9. Urethral Syndrome
      1. Acute Cystitis symptoms and normal urine
3. History: Associated symptoms and contributing factors
   1. See Dysuria
   2. See Periuretheral Contact Dermatitis in Women
   3. Pregnancy, current Contraception and Last Menstrual Period
   4. Vaginal Discharge or vaginal irritation
4. Exam
   1. Abdominal exam
      1. Abdominal tenderness (e.g. suprapubic tenderness)
      2. Flank tenderness (costovertebral angle tenderness)
      3. Suprapubic fullness (Bladder Distention)
   2. Female genitourinary exam
      1. Vulvar lesions (e.g. vessicles or ulcerations)
      2. Inguinal Lymphadenopathy
      3. Vaginal Discharge
      4. Vaginal Atrophy
      5. Cervical discharge
      6. Cervical motion tenderness
   3. Skin exam
      1. Localized genitourinary dermatitis (e.g. HSV, Contact Dermatitis, chronic inflammatory condition)
5. Symptoms and Signs
   1. See Urinary Tract Infection
   2. See Vaginitis
   3. See Vaginal Discharge
   4. See Dyspareunia
6. Evaluation
   1. Urine Sample
      1. Urinalysis
      2. Urine Culture
   2. Vaginitis suspected: Vaginal Discharge examination
      1. KOH Preparation
      2. Saline Preparation (Wet Prep)
   3. Sexually active patient
      1. Urine Pregnancy Test
      2. Gonorrhea PCR and Chlamydia PCR
      3. Consider Gram Stain of cervical discharg
7. Management: Persistent Dysuria with unremarkable evaluation
   1. Consider Topical or systemic irritants
      1. Discontinue offending agents
   2. Consider treating for Ureaplasma in sexually active women
      1. Doxycycline for 7 days or Azithromycin for 5 days
      2. Consider adding Metronidazole 2 g orally once (covers Trichomonas)
   3. Consider empiric trimethoprim
      1. 75% Respond to trimethoprim (25% for Placebo) who had Dysuria with negative UA/UC
      2. Richards (2005) BMJ 331:143-6 [PubMed]
   4. Consider Urge Incontinence or Overactive Bladder
      1. Pelvic Floor Exercises and Bladder TrainingExercises
8. ' Consider regional pain sources
   1. Endometriosis
   2. Interstitial Cystitis
   1. Consider imaging or Consultation with urology
      1. Persistent Microscopic Hematuria not due to Menses
      2. Sterile pyuria (not due to Vaginitis, STI, dermatitis or other gynecologic cause)
9. References
   1. Kurowski (1998) Am Fam Physician 57(9): 2155-64 [PubMed]
   2. Michels (2015) Am Fam Physician 92(9): 778-86 [PubMed]
   3. Roberts (1999) Am Fam Physician 60(3): 865-72 [PubMed]