Associated symptoms

The main symptom of urethritis is a strong burning sensation every time you urinate. In addition, there is often a distinct itching in the area of the urethra. The entrance of the urethra is usually strongly reddened.

This is often accompanied by a cloudy yellowish discharge from the urethra. An inflammation of the urethra does not always have to cause symptoms, so it can also be asymptomatic. However, even if there are no symptoms, the bacterial form of urethritis is contagious, i.e. sexually transmitted.

Symptomatic courses of the disease usually cause a burning sensation when urinating, itching and discharge from the urethra. In men, other organs can also be affected. For example, it can be accompanied by inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) or the testicles (orchitis) or epididymitis.

These types of inflammation are usually very painful. They are often accompanied by fever and chills. In women, inflammation of the urethra is relatively often asymptomatic.

It is nevertheless contagious. In women, there is a risk that the bacteria from the urethra will spread further and reach the uterus. From here they can reach the fallopian tubes and ovaries and cause an infection of the ovaries (pelvic inflammatory disease).

In this case, there is severe pain in the lower abdomen, fever and significantly reduced general health. A complication of such an inflammation of the fallopian tubes is the adhesion of the fallopian tubes. This can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy and in the worst case lead to infertility (sterility) of the woman.

In both men and women, there is also a risk that the pathogens will spread to the kidneys, i.e. ascend.This can lead to inflammation of the renal pelvis. This leads to dull flank pain, high fever and chills, the general condition is significantly reduced. The pathogens can also enter the bloodstream and cause urosepsis.

Urosepsis – like inflammation of the renal pelvis – is usually accompanied by fever and marked malaise. Both diseases must be treated quickly as they can be potentially fatal. Discharge is a typical symptom that occurs during urethritis.

With bacterially caused inflammations the discharge is usually yellowish cloudy and smells unpleasant. In urethral inflammation, the pain occurs mainly in the form of a severe burning sensation in the area of the urethra during urination. If the course of the disease is complicated, men may also suffer from inflammation of the prostate or the epididymis.

This is often accompanied by severe pain in the area of the affected glands. In women, the bacteria can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, resulting in severe pain in the lower abdomen, usually on one side. If the inflammation rises up to the kidneys, this is accompanied by dull flank pain and a strong knocking sensation on the affected side.