Causes of Frequent Urination in Women and Men

Frequent urination has many possible causes—ranging from everyday habits to underlying medical conditions. Here's a breakdown by category.

Lifestyle factors

• High fluid intake: Drinking more than your body needs increases urine production and leads to more bathroom trips.
• Alcohol and caffeine: Both act as diuretics, increasing urine output. Carbonated beverages, citrus, and artificial sweeteners can also irritate the bladder.
• Medications: Diuretics (water pills) are a common culprit, but other medications can also increase urinary frequency, including certain antidepressants, antihistamines, calcium channel blockers, lithium, and SGLT2 inhibitors used for diabetes.^[12]

Infections

• Urinary tract infection (UTI): The most common cause of frequent urination. A UTI inflames the lining of the urinary tract, creating a persistent urge to urinate—even when there's little urine to pass. Everlywell offers UTI telehealth for convenient access to treatment.
• Trichomoniasis: This STI can cause frequent, painful urination. In women, trichomoniasis symptoms may also include unusual discharge and genital irritation. The Everlywell at-home Trichomoniasis Test lets you screen from home.
• Kidney infection: A more serious type of UTI that can cause frequent urination alongside fever, back pain, and nausea—and requires prompt medical attention.^[12]

Hormonal and reproductive changes

• Pregnancy: Rising progesterone levels in the first trimester—and uterine pressure on the bladder in the third—commonly cause increased urinary frequency.
• Menopause: Declining estrogen weakens bladder and urethral tissue, which can lead to urgency, frequency, and more frequent UTIs. If you think you may be entering the menopause transition, the at-home Perimenopause Test can check for relevant hormone changes.

Chronic health conditions

• Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2): When blood sugar is poorly controlled, the kidneys produce more urine to flush out excess glucose—leading to frequent urination, often in larger amounts than other causes.^[12]
• Diabetes insipidus: A separate condition from diabetes mellitus, this affects the body's ability to regulate fluid balance and can cause excessive urination unrelated to blood sugar.^[12]
• Enlarged prostate (BPH): Benign prostatic hyperplasia causes the prostate to press on the urethra, restricting flow and triggering frequent urges to urinate. More common in men over 50.^[12]
• Neurological conditions: Conditions affecting the nervous system—such as stroke, spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis—can disrupt the signals between the brain and bladder, leading to overactivity.^[12]

Bladder and pelvic conditions

• Interstitial cystitis (IC): A chronic condition causing bladder pressure, pelvic pain, and in severe cases, urination up to 60 times a day. Unlike a UTI, IC is not caused by infection.
• Overactive bladder (OAB): A group of symptoms—including urgency and frequency—that may occur without infection or structural cause. OAB is not a normal part of aging.
• Bladder stones: Mineral deposits in the bladder can irritate its lining and cause frequent, urgent, or painful urination.^[12]
• Stress incontinence: Common in women, this condition causes urine to leak—and urges to intensify—during physical activity, coughing, or sneezing.
• Urethral stricture: Narrowing of the urethra (more common in men) can make it harder to empty the bladder fully, triggering frequent urges.^[12]

Other causes

• Radiation therapy: Radiation to the pelvis or abdomen can irritate the bladder and increase urinary frequency during or after treatment.^[12]
• Bladder or prostate tumors: In rare cases, a tumor can press on or irritate the bladder, causing frequent urination.^[12]

Here are some remedies you can try to reduce a frequent urge to urinate.

Dietary changes: Stay away from bladder irritants and diuretics, including caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, carbonated drinks, citrus and tomato-based products, artificial sweeteners, and spicy foods. You can also incorporate more fiber into your diet, since constipation can contribute to the symptoms of frequent urination.

Drinking less: Take in just enough fluids to avoid dehydration and constipation. Cut off all drinking at least an hour before bedtime to avoid nighttime urination.

Kegel exercises: Identify the muscles you use to hold in your urine, then squeeze, hold, and release those muscles for five-minute intervals, three times a day. These exercises help reduce frequent urination by strengthening the muscles around your urethra and bladder.

While frequent urination can be frustrating, you can overcome the challenges of this condition by identifying its cause and seeking appropriate treatment in response.

See a healthcare provider if frequent urination is accompanied by incontinence, nighttime waking, or is interfering with your daily life. Many causes are treatable once identified.

Seek emergency care if frequent urination occurs alongside any of the following:

• Fever and chills
• Abdominal, lower back, or side pain
• Bloody, dark, or cloudy urine
• Vomiting
• Increased appetite or excessive thirst
• Vaginal or penile discharge

Your healthcare provider will review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and may order urine or blood tests to identify the cause. Treatment depends on the underlying condition—whether that's an infection, a hormonal issue, or a bladder disorder—and may include medication, lifestyle changes, or further evaluation.