Inflammation of the urethra, the duct that carries urine from the bladder to the outside. Asymptomatic in up to 70% of women and 50% of men.
It is generally secondary to a bacterial infection or virus.
In women, it manifests as lower abdominal pain, a burning sensation when urinating, fever, chills, increased urinary frequency, vaginal discharge and pain during sexual intercourse and in the pelvis. In men, it manifests as discomfort when urinating, a burning sensation, blood in urine, increased frequency of urination and urgency to urinate, inflammation of the penis, pain during sexual intercourse or ejaculation (sometimes with blood), swollen lymph nodes in the groin area and fever.
The diagnosis is reached clinically through questioning and a physical examination. The study will be completed with some blood and urine tests, as well as tests to rule out sexually transmitted diseases.
Treatment is based on treating the cause of onset and relieving the symptoms with common analgesics and antipyretics.
- Arlene C Seña, Myron S Cohen, Heidi Swygard. Urethritis in adult men. UpToDate. Jun 03, 2016.
- Workowski KA, Bolan GA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2015. MMWR Recomm Rep 2015; 64:1.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2013. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats13/default.htm (Accessed on December 31, 2014).
- Taylor SN, Liesenfeld O, Lillis RA, et al. Evaluation of the Roche cobas® CT/NG test for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in male urine. Sex Transm Dis 2012; 39:543.
- Jeanne M. Marrazzo, King K. Holmes. Infecciones de transmisión sexual: resumen y estudio clínico. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 2. 19º Edición. 869:883
- E.J. Perea. Enfermedades de transmisión sexual. Farreras Rozman. Medicina Interna. Volumen 2. 12º edición. 2503:2507
