Dysuria is any discomfort associated with urination. Abnormally frequent urination (e.g., once every hour or two) is termed urinary frequency. Urgency is an abrupt, strong, often overwhelming, need to urinate.
The term dysuria is used to describe painful urination, which often signifies an infection of the lower urinary tract. The discomfort is usually described by the patient as burning, stinging, or itching. Pain occurring at the beginning of or during urination suggests a urethral site of disease, whereas pain after voiding implies pathology within the bladder or prostate area. Sometimes a patient will relate a history of pain in the suprapubic area.