Why Do I Pee So Much? An MD Explains

If you’re hitting the bathroom every hour, it can feel excessive — and no one wants spend half the day on the toilet. Peeing an abnormal amount can tell you something important about your health, though. So if you’ve found yourself googling, “Why am I peeing so much all of sudden?” keep reading. With a few lifestyle tips and a diagnosis from a doctor, you can likely reduce that frequency of your peeing and find some relief. Ahead, we discussed a few reasons why you might be peeing so much so much with Robert Glatter, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

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Robert Glatter, MD, is an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Why Do I Pee So Much?

If you’re running to bathroom more often than usual, it’s not usually cause for concern, per Cleveland Clinic. It could just be because you drank a lot of water. But there are also a few conditions Dr. Glatter says could be at fault — from an overactive bladder to a UTI. Ahead, here’s a breakdown of the potential culprits.

You Have a UTI

A common symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI) is an overactive bladder, says Dr. Glatter. “It typically causes increased urinary frequency and urgency, along with burning or stinging, and mild lower abdominal discomfort.” When UTI symptoms spread to the back or flank, the kidney can be involved, causing you to rush to bathroom and feel some painful pangs down there.

Luckily, it’s short-lived and not a chronic condition. “A short course of antibiotics (three to five days) is the treatment for a bladder infection, while a kidney infection requires a visit to the ER for blood tests and IV antibiotics,” he says.

If you are stable enough to be discharged, then a 14-day course of antibiotics will fix you up. Though, in some cases, hospital admission is required, as long as there’s presence of high fever, vomiting, and the inability to eat and drink normally, which is often referred to as pyelonephritis. A tip? Pee before and after having sex, says Dr. Glatter, to avoid getting a UTI. “Also, make sure your anal and genital areas are clean before and after sex to reduce the buildup of bacteria,” he adds.

You Have an Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is characterized by “sudden and intense urges to urinate, which can occur at any point in the day, but are especially bothersome at nighttime,” says Dr. Glatter.

There are two types of overactive bladders: dry and wet. “In the dry form, you have the sudden and urgent need to urinate many times a day. In the wet form, you also have the intense urge to urinate, but your bladder also leaks, referred to as urge incontinence,” he explains. If you have other conditions, it might be especially prevalent. “While OAB can occur without any underlying health condition, it may also occur in patients who have sustained nerve damage to the bladder in the setting of diabetes, Parkinson’s, MS, or after a stroke or pelvic or back surgery,” Dr. Glatter says.

A few ways to manage symptoms? Try kegel exercises, he suggests. Kegel exercises will strengthen the pelvic floor and urinary sphincter, per Dr. Glatter. (Here’s a guide to doing kegel balls the right way.) Additionally, cut back on the sips of water at night for fewer trips to the bathroom. You might also consider avoiding particular foods or beverages that can exacerbate your symptoms as well. This includes caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, citrus juice, apples, cranberries, spicy foods,

artificial sweeteners, tomatoes, and vinegar, per Dr. Glatter.

You Have Interstitial Cystitis

“Interstitial cystitis causes pain in the bladder along with the need to urinate frequently and urgently, sometimes up to 50 times per day,” says Dr. Glatter. Yet, it’s not easy to diagnose. “Patients may go through multiple tests to determine other potential causes to explain their symptoms, but to no avail,” he says. Luckily, once you know you have it, there are a number of approaches to reduce the associated pain and inflammation, including medications, electrical nerve stimulation, bladder exercises and training, and physical therapy, as well as surgical approaches to evaluate for structural causes for continued and unexplained pain, in rare cases, Dr. Glatter adds.

You’re Pregnant

It’s common to pee more often when pregnant, as you’re likely to feel the urge to urinate pick up throughout the day. “This is related to a combination of hormonal changes, but also increased pressure from organs on the bladder, compressing it, which leads to a smaller bladder volume,” says Dr. Glatter. What’s more, bladder infections or UTIs are typically more common during pregnancy, he says, and those can also be associated with the extra bathroom runs.

When to See a Doctor About Peeing So Much

If you’re peeing more than eight times a day, more than twice at night, or more than what’s normal for your body, it’s best to seek out a healthcare professional, per Cleveland Clinic. They’ll be able to best assess your symptoms and offer up a diagnosis and/or treatment plan.

Isadora Baum is a freelance writer, certified health coach, and author of “5-Minute Energy”.