DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
for Frequent urination

Why: to determine if acute or chronic.

Why: to gauge severity.

Why: it is important to clarify whether "frequent urination" means true frequent trips to the bathroom with excessive urination (output of a large amount of urine leading to frequent urination) or frequent attempts to urinate with only reduced urine output (i.e. small amounts of urine).

Why: can help determine hydration status, detect excessive thirst in diabetes mellitus and insipidus and also detect habitual overdrinking.

Why: e.g. cloudy, clear or blood stained.

Why: pregnant women have a higher chance of urinary tract infections and it is important to treat them as they can lead to pyelonephritis and higher chance of developing high blood pressure in pregnancy and higher chance of delivering a low birth weight baby.

Why: excessive caffeine intake may cause frequent urination because it has a diuretic action.

Why: alcohol also has a diuretic action.

Why: diuretics may cause transient passing of large amounts of urine; some medications can cause diabetes insipidus such as lithium, glibenclamide.

Why: e.g. hypothalamic-pituitary surgery is the most common cause of diabetes insipidus.

Why: may help in assessing risk of sexually acquired urethritis.

Why: If painful urination and frequent small amounts of urine must consider cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, bladder stones and tuberculosis of the bladder. If painless urination of frequent small amounts of urine consider prostatic hypertrophy, urethral stricture or spastic neurogenic bladder.

Why: consider pyelonephritis.

Why: may suggest diabetes mellitus or hyperthyroidism.

Why: e.g. pain and burning with urination, urinary frequency, blood in urine in severe cases, offensive smell to urine.

Why: e.g. symptoms as for urinary tract loin and also loin pain, fever, chills, nausea.

Why: e.g. fever, chills, pain between anus and base of penis, urinary frequency, urgency and pain with urination, sometimes blood in the urine.

Why: e.g. intense pain in loin radiating down to groin, cloudy urine due to blood in the urine.

Why: e.g. burning sensation with passing urine, penile discharge or leakage.

Why: e.g. frequency of urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue, increased infections.

Why: e.g. frequency of urination, large quantities of urine produced, need to urinate at night, excessive thirst, dehydration.

Why: e.g. frequency of urination, urgency, need to pass urine at night, hesitancy of urination, slow interrupted flow, terminal dribbling of urine, acute retention of urine.

Why: e.g. may be without symptoms; be similar to symptoms of Benign prostatic hypertrophy or also include bone pain from metastases, tiredness, weight loss and perineal pain.