Can Coffee Make You Have Painful Urination?

Coffee is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world. From lattes to instant coffee and espresso to decaffeinated coffee, the size and contents of different drinks varies considerably. If you suffer from painful urination, coffee has the potential to aggravate your symptoms, largely due to its typical acidic profile and caffeine content. Consult your doctor if you have concerns about urinary pain or other bladder symptoms.

Bladder Control Problems

Many adults in the United States suffer from issues with bladder control, including urinary incontinence. Foods and drinks that irritate your bladder can cause leakage and painful urination, according to MayoClinic.com. Caffeine can cause your bladder to spasm, which could increase bladder pain. Additionally, caffeine acts as a diuretic and increases your body's production of urine. This could aggravate problems with bladder pain and bladder control.

Fluid Quantities

Drinking excessive volumes of coffee or any other fluids over the course of a day can overwork your bladder, leading to sensations of urinary urgency and potential pain on urination. For a healthy adult, a total of 60 to 64 oz. of fluid is recommended daily. A Starbucks "Tall" coffee size is 12 fl. oz., so a typical adult fluid intake would be between five "Tall" drinks and four of the 16-oz. "Grande" beverages. Urinary urgency and pain can be reduced if you drink small quantities throughout the day rather than a few large doses of fluid.

UTIs

A urinary tract infection is a common cause of pain during urination. Other common symptoms of a UTI include needing to urinate more often than usual, and a sense of needing to urinate although urine production is scant. UTIs are more common in women than men, and are more likely among elderly populations in general. If you are suffering from a UTI, MayoClinic.com recommends avoiding coffee, which can aggravate UTI-related bladder pain. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, citrus juices and other sources of caffeine such as green tea.

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is a relatively common, long-term bladder condition which is also known as painful bladder syndrome. Painful urination is one of the common symptoms of interstitial cystitis, together with the need to urinate frequently. The Interstitial Cystitis Network categorizes foods and drinks regarding their likelihood of aggravating symptoms for patients with IC. Regular and decaffeinated coffees are considered likely to aggravate symptoms -- interstitial cystitis sufferers are recommended to try herbal coffees or low-acid decaffeinated coffees instead.