Burning sensation after consuming alcohol

I'm also glad to hear that several other people have the same problem. I have spent 7 years and about $150,000 on the top doctors in the Boston area such as urologists, urogynecologists, immunologists, neurologists, pain specialists. I have had recent CT scans, 6 MRIs, 2!cistoscopies, 8 ultrasounds with 3 D imaging, x rays, etc. You name I have had it. I am an extremely healthy 36 year old female. I have my masters degree in Education and can't even teach or work anymore since last year of June 2 2016. Every doctor tells me I probably have Interstitial Cystitis and urethritis and Cystitis. I have been tested for STD's about 15 times because every time I have a horrible flare that mimics a UTI, I had to go to the ER which has been 14 times in the last 5 years and also urgent care. I do not have any STDs and have never had a UTI. I have no infections of any sort. I now spend every day and night holding ice cold packs on my vgainal and urethral area to numb the chronic nerve pain I have now. I can barely walk and stand because a doctor urogynecologist decided to lie to me and stick a straight catheter into my urethra at my first and last office visit last year on June 2 2016. I screamed from the pain and she told me I was overreacting but since that day, I have absolutely nothing to look forward to in my life because I need ice on that area on a 24 hour rotation basis along with a high dose of Gabapentin and Oxybutinin and now recently medical cannabis. I used to be able to play sports and travel and now I have to lean on the grocery cart bar just to try to get my groceries in a very short amount of time. It all started when I realized that my urethra and bladder burned when I took a sip of wine or other alcoholic beverage. I never could drink more than 2 drinks at a time anyway. I keep bladder and pain diaries and alcohol was the only thing that hurt. I follow the IC diet to the T now because I feel that I don't have a choice even though I don't think I have it because all the other foods and and beverages don't bother me. I just don't know what to do. I really wish that the doctors could figure out what this really is and why it happens. I recently saw a Neurologist at MGH in Boston and he thinks I could possible have something called small fiber neuropathy because he told me that he has seen patients like me with Celiac Disease have similar pain. He is running several lab tests and then he is also going to do a skin biopsy for this diagnose. This is where I am today and I really pray and hope that this doctor can help me.

I am so glad that I just read your post. This makes a lot more sense than what all the doctors have told me which is that they don't understand why I am in such pain but I have had several injuries that should have healed up within a week to a month and have lasted a year or more. I also can't drink a sip of any type of alcohol because it burns my urethra and bladder.

Oh my God! I just read this and I feel so bad for you. I am so sorry this has progressed to such a horrendous level for you. While I am not quite as advanced, I have had some success eliminating caffeine and artificial sweeteners from my diet. It has eased the pain considerably. Thank you for the excellent level of detail in your post. It really helps everyone on this thread. My positive thoughts are with you. Good luck with the next round of testing. Please share after your next round of test.

Lady in Boston,

You have seen more doctors than me, and it could be that your condition is much different than mine, but just wondering, have you tried Elmiron? Worked for me.

How about non-traditional medicine like acupuncture?

Hope you get some relief.

Great question!! Has ANYONE out there had any success with acupuncture? It's my next stop.

This happens to me as well. Sometimes it even turns into a full blown uti. For awhile I thought it was in my mind but I am glad to hear I am not the only one. I am going to try to speak to a homopathic doctor.

I've been to doctor for years 26 now same thing !!

It could be Dysuria or Interstitial Cystitis which you would need to get checked out. Dysuria can cause the burning pain (which I have) Insterstitial Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder (both are really) and any alcohol will aggreviate these two conditions. I find if I drink wine up comes the burning the next day and the pain is unbearable sometimes. Look it up and also look up natural products to help ...water, ginger, buttermilk the list goes on. Good luck ... But mine has been diagnosed Terminal Dysuria "Great"....

Hi Tim,
Good idea to try and find commonalities. I very rarely take pain medication. However, did take a lot of NSAID' s during the first 3 years of my life since I had juvenile arthritis.
Urethral problems didn't start until I was 25 tho (after various UTI's)
Doctors just laugh at hearing the symptoms. They may think we're crazy or imagining it...

fyi. I cut out all caffeine and it has significantly reduced the symptoms. If you haven't tried that. Give it a shot !

The medical term for the experience of burning urine is called dysuria. Dysuria is usually also associated with symptoms such as increased urinary frequency, urgency and sometimes also haematuria (blood in the urine)

Why does alcohol cause dysuria?
The exact mechanism as to why alcohol can cause dysuria is not known but it's thought that the pH of urine decreases with alcohol intake. This would make the urine more acidic and would thus cause irritation of the urethra and therefore result in the burning sensation.
Alcohol consumption is also known to stimulate increased urination by inhibiting the body's anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) from functioning properly. Increased urinary frequency may also result in the patient experiencing dysuria.

Interstitial cystitis is a condition where the muscular wall of the bladder becomes chronically inflamed and this condition itself can cause dysuria. Exposure of this inflamed tissue to alcohol though can worsen the condition and the patient will then have an increased chance to experience dysuria.

More info here:
https://www.steadyhealth.com/medical-answers/burning-urination-after-alcohol-use

But this definition does not address why we all feel burning within 3 minutes of injesting alcohol. It hasn't had time to make it to the bladder. Even my urologist couldn't believe it happened so quickly. After 1/2 hour? Yes. But in 3 minutes no way. And after 15 minutes the pain subsides. Eliminating caffeine has really reduced this effect where I barely notice it now. Hopefully I am on the road back to. Normalcy. I also take 2 saw palmetto every afternoon.

I am a 22 year female & I have the exact same problem always happens when i wake up after a night of drinking, iv had loads of tests done & nothing resolved, if been suffering with this for 4/5 years, I put it down to cystitis, and limit my sugar intake while drinking alcohol, I find cystopurin & dioralyte help or some antibiotics, I am currently in a lot of discomfort at the minute as I drank wine spritzers last night

Hi l am a 62 year old man and l experience the same problem. The feeling of burning at the end of my penis. Bloody annoying when you don't drink much. Only happens with spirits.

Same thing is happening to me.. just started a few weeks ago