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Female Urethral Syndrome: Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment And Prevention

by — Last updated: 2014-11-12 in Women's Health

Table of Contents

Urinary Tract Infections are incredibly common and frustrating enough — but what if you have all the symptoms of a UTI but no infection can be found? Welcome to the tricky world of Female Urethral Syndrome.

FUS: The Risk Factors

While there is no consensus about the cause or causes of Female Urethral Syndrome, the condition is associated with certain risk factors. One study into the gynecological risk factors associated with FUS found that women who had delivered more than five babies, those who didn't have an episiotomy (vaginal cut) during birth, had undergone two or more abortions, or had pelvic relaxation were more at risk. The study also determined "hospital birth" to be a risk factor. 


Unprotected sex, a history of sexually transmitted diseases, and bacterial infections in other parts of the urinary tract (kidneys and bladder) are also associated with an increased risk of FUS.

In addition, a physical narrowing of the urethra, other physical abnormalities including as the result of injury, and medications that weaken the immune system can be factors that lead to symptoms that warrant a diagnosis of FUS. 

Diagnosis 

Female Urethral Syndrome is diagnosed on the basis of:

  • The patient's medical history
  • Abdominal examination and gynecological examination
  • Negative results to urine cultures, dynamic cystourethroscopy and urodynamic studies — other infections and conditions that could lead to the same symptoms are ruled out
  • Causes such as allergies, inflammatory reactions to underwear, and physical injury should also be ruled out. 
Since FUS has no defining characteristics besides its symptoms and the lack of detectable pathogens, the diagnosis is controversial and will not be made everywhere.

Women who have been diagnosed with FUS, or those who have not been diagnosed by do have the same symptoms without a known cause, may consider seeking a second opinion. 

Treatment 

Since the cause remains unknown, treatment is as much of a problem as the diagnosis of FUS — how do you go about treating something that doesn't have a known cause? Since Urinary Tract Infections come with the same symptoms, antibiotics have frequently been offered to women suffering from FUS. These will not help in the absence of an infection however, and may well be counterproductive. You've heard the news: antibiotics may be completely useless in the near future if we continue using them for things they don't actually help for.

See Also: Urinary Tract Infections in Women: Why they occur and how to treat them?

Urethral massage, therapy (yes, that does suggest it's all in your head, something that can be insulting and frustrating when you have physical symptoms!), vaginal estrogen cream, and even surgery to dilate the urethra have all been used as well, with varying degrees of success. 

Prevention

What preventative measures can you take when you have no idea what causes these symptoms? The best we can do is offer common-sense suggestions that work towards the general prevention of problems in the genital region and the urinary tract:

  • Stay sufficiently hydrated: always have a glass of water on the go.
  • Avoid using chemical or perfumed products in the genital area. This is particularly true for women who noticed symptoms after they started to use a new product. Products you may want to avoid include douches, soaps, tampons and sanitary pads (look into reusable menstrual cups instead), bath oils, contraceptive gels, lubricants and condoms.
  • Avoid consuming too much caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods. Get tested for food allergies.

  • Photos by shutterstock.com