Q: I am a 19-year-old male. I get frequent urge to urinate. I have been urinating 10-15 times every day for the past 3-4 months. It is really a big problem, because sometimes the rate increases up to 20 times a day. I have got an ultrasound test done and everything was normal. I also got my urine tested. The results are protein-negative; glucose-negative; pH-6; pus cells: 3-4 / hpf; RBC:0-1 / hpf; no bacteria and few epithelial cells. I also got my urine tested thrice for AFB and the results were negative all three times. The urea level in urine was 26 mg/dl. My fasting blood sugar was 92 and 80 (got tested twice). What could be the problem?

A:The problems that may result in frequent urination are:

1. Increased urine output: It may happen with excessive fluid intake ( many start drinking excessively on suggestions to flush kidneys, or due to a disease like diabetes (for which you have been investigated) and some chronic interstitial renal diseases.
2. Small bladder capacity: Bladder may get smaller with some diseases (tuberculosis, you got investigated for, is one of them) or due to pressure of some mass outside bladder not allowing the urinary bladder to distend.
3. Smaller functional bladder capacity: Even normal bladder may be functionally small if it is not able to empty completely and retains large residue.
4. Infections and inflammations make a bladder more sensitive causing the filling sensation to come earlier, thus causing frequency. Even chronic inflammations would have an intermittent course, and are usually associated with pain and burning while passing urine. Appropriate clinical assessment and investigations invariably lead to the correct diagnosis.