Urinary urgency is the sudden urge to urinate, due to involuntary contractions of the bladder muscle. Urinary urgency is one of the hallmark symptoms of urinary tract infection (UTI) and can be related to other conditions, as well. Certain medications, like diuretics, can also cause urinary urgency. Damage to the nerves that control the bladder or conditions like overactive bladder are characterized by urinary urgency. Urinary urgency is related to and often accompanied by urinary frequency, the need to urinate frequently. The two symptoms are sometimes confused with each other. For example, people with uncontrolled diabetes often experience the need to urinate frequently and may describe feeling urinary urgency as a result.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.
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Other Causes of Urinary Urgency
- Increased Consumption of Fluids
- Medications
- Urethritis
Examples of Medications for Urinary Urgency
- Cipro, Cipro XR (ciprofloxacin) Antibiotic Side Effects
- Levaquin (levofloxacin) Antibiotic
- nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin, Macrobid)
- oxybutynin, Ditropan (discontinued brand in the US); Ditropan XL; Oxytrol; Anturol; Gelnique
- sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, Bactrim, Bactrim DS
- tolterodine, Detrol, Detrol LA
- trospium - oral, Sanctura
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