Pain in urethra and tingling - what could it be?

[miniworry]

For the last 6 months I've had an almost constant pain in my urethra; the aching/stabbing pain comes on towards the end of a wee and can last for hours afterwards but more recently I just get shooting pains there and aching even when I haven't been to the loo. I've had urine dipped and there's no UTI except for once and there's been some
Microscopic traces of blood but apparently nothing concerning. I also feel pressure in my bladder when having jntercourse, almost like it makes me need to pee.

However, over the last 24 hours since I've been on my Minimoon (and had intercourse 3x in that time) the whole genital area has just felt constantly tingly with a pins and needles, heavy type of feeling, particularly in my urethra. It's driving me mad. Had my urine dipped but again no uti.

Has anyone had anything similar? I'm waiting on a gynae appointment as I've got endo and have had around 6 surgeries previously for this with endo on bladder, bowels, you name it, but the appointment isn't until June 2024!!

Hey OP, I’m currently experiencing the same thing as you? Did things get sorted? I’ve got a cystoscopy booked next month and my GP has prescribed amitriptyline but I’m not sure I’m willing to take it and risk the side effects. Today I’m having a particularly bad day with it all - getting down now.

The dipsticks and cultures do miss utis, this is mentioned on the nhs website so even though your dipstick is clear you may still have a uti especially as you have traces of blood.

@PRC nothing was ever diagnosed and I had countless dipsticks and a bladder ultrasound to rule out anything sinister. They put it down to the fact it was caused by my endo. I saw a private gynaecologist who gave me a long list of vitamins to try including high dose vitamin d, vitamin c, omega 3 and Coq10. All of these together made it disappear pretty much!

Hi @miniworry that sounds positive! Would you recommend the gynaecologist, if so would you mind sharing their details? Thank you!

@herbygarden gynaecologist was great but they specialise in endometriosis so unsure if that's what you're after? I'm midlands based.

You’re an angel for getting back to me thank you. I’ll be giving those a go for sure! I don’t think I have endo although weirdly enough my sister has just been diagnosed with it.
Roughly how long until your urethra felt ok again? I’m starting to have good days and bad days rather than all bad but feels like it’s not budging totally!

Dipsticks miss 30% -

send three wees on different mornings to the lab for testing, you may have to go private to see if it captures a bug.

Hi, I had urethral pain for 6 years that felt like a constant UTI, and I still don't have answers!

I had a cystoscopy that came back normal, and they said it was either endo or interstitial cystitis. I took a long course of low dose antibiotics and had bladder instillations to wash the bladder but these made it worse. Eventually had a laparoscopy that found extensive endometriosis but none anywhere near my.bladder or urethra. Lots and lots of investigations turned up nothing, and it was eventually ruled as referred pain and I was offered painkillers (pregabalin, i think), but I refused these as missing the pain often meant I would ignore genuine bladder infections, and these three times.led to full blown kidney infections which were horrific.

The only thing that made mine go away was ibuprofen and eventually, pregnancy! I am terrified that when I give birth the pain.will come back. I hope your gynae team are more competent than mine, and that they find the cause.

@ScuttleMcButtle thank you I did actually pay privately for an enhanced test and nothing was found but all of this started with a really nasty UTI that lasted 3 weeks and needed loads of antibiotics!
@scaredsick I’m so sorry it’s been so awful! I have heard pregnancy resets it totally from a few people. I already have a son but im hoping for another baby in the near future so as long I get the all clear on any nasties my plan is to get pregnant ASAP! It’s really frustrating that Dr’s just leave it with you, the pain can be debilitating if not physically then 100% mentally.

After repeated uti you can end up with chronic pain syndrome. The nerve endings are chronically inflamed. IME it is well worth taking whatever is prescribed for nerve pain as it very often works quite quickly and can be reduced then stopped.

Either a UTI which isn't being properly diagnosed or (perhaps hard to believe, but I have had this problem three times over the course of my adult life, always for several months or more, and was the answer in at least one case) urethral thrush. If you've done a lot of antibiotics I would try treating it as thrush with the fluconazole tablet followed by the cream, a low sugar diet and lots of probiotics.

I found paracetamol was the best painkiller for some reason.

You might also try buying some Hiprex at Boots (not a prescription medication and can be sold by pharmacist, though they can be a bit odd about ordering it) and taking one every night without fail. It's a urinary antiseptic and can work where regular UTI antibiotics have failed.

Sea-swimming sounds like the last thing anyone with a burning urethra wants to do, but I also found it helpful!

@endofthelinefinally ok I may give them a go then thank you!
@hopsalong thats interesting, my very lovely GP thinks I had urethra thrush after all the antibiotics so I have done 2 lots of 3 tablets plus the cream. The cream seemed to burn like hell though! I was then tested for BV and it wasn’t that.
I’m about to go on holiday so maybe I will try some sea swimming. At this point I’m happy to try anything as I’m so sick of my urethra feeling like it’s on fire!