Urinary Problems in Women

Women who have symptoms related to the genitourinary system present daily in a typical family medicine practice. The most common complaints are dysuria, increased urinary frequency, and incontinence. In the vast majority of cases the underlying problem is either urinary tract infection, urinary incontinence without infection, or bladder pain without infection that may be termed painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis. This article discusses epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions.