90 yr old Mom constant complaint of burning when urinating. Any suggestions?

Vaseline works fine as well and I'm sure much cheaper. Her doctor should prescribe antibiotics or something to treat the UTI

Burning when urinating can be caused through dehydration. That's different from burning from urine on the skin after urination. I can get rid of the dehydration burning by drinking a pint of water over as short a time as I can manage. It may not be your mother's problem, but it's easy and cheap to try.

Please ensure you wash or wipe thoroughly all urine from her skin then apply vaseline before bed. Give her at least two drinks of Real Cranberry juice at breakfast and last before bed. Keep heart and continue doing your best

Rather than experiment with various OTC remedies, I would suggest she see a Urologist. There can be multiple reasons for the burning. UTI tests are sometimes not sufficient. A urine culture could reveal an infection. Our mother was Dx'd with interstitial cystitis (quick lookup on the symptoms, I don't think this applies to your mom.) If she gets the all clear from the Urologist, then have Gyn check - as others noted, it could be vaginal. The body parts are so close, it could be misinterpreted as a urinary issue.

Do NOT rely on just the GP. My mom was having great pain under the jaw, to the point where she would not eat, take pain reliever and go to bed, skipping dinner (she never misses meals!) The rest of the day she would be fine. I did not get to witness this until AFTER the doctor visit, where the doctor kept trying to ask mom questions and decided mom had a cold! Mom can barely hear, did not even want to go and could not really explain the problem (sore throat doc interpreted as inner throat, not under the jaw!) After seeing her at dinner refuse most everything, including the beloved chocolate covered ice cream bar, I did some lookup based on the symptoms. What I found was Sialolithiasis, which is often referred to as the "mealtime syndrome". It is a blocked salivary gland. When one thinks about or smells food, the salivary glands start producing and because there is blockage, PAIN! This went on for weeks (at least a week before they reported it to me, and two weeks after), so I scheduled with an ENT. By then the symptoms were gone (could not get an appointment sooner, but the blockage CAN pass, however it can also get much worse!) He agreed this was probably the case, but he checked thoroughly and said the blockage appeared to be gone. At least now I know what it can be if it happens again!

So, do get appointments with specialists to get to the bottom of this issue. I did not see any indication that your mom has dementia - if she does, it is possible that it is phantom pain, but better to get it checked out fully with doctors who have more expertise. DO be there to make sure the docs get GOOD information from YOU and mom about the symptoms! If nothing is wrong, these specialists should at least be able to suggest some kind of medication that could "soothe" the situation.

Dad used to scratch himself in his private parts when he was in a NH...was this a dirty diaper or cock itch......inattentive staff?? He ultimately died with a UTI that put him into Toxic shock as the urine specimen was not done until he had 700 insulin upon being admitted to hospital where he eventually died due to complications using basel pressers and antibiotics from a pain in his abdomen. Sad about this UTI mystery and no supervision at the NH...………….they tried their skilled nursing home staff,??? with the insulin arriving next day, until his breathing became lumbered and a nighttime nurse alerted the ambulance as they had tried their own measures but as I saw it they are not equipped to handle emergencies until too late as I was told the patient my Dad should not go to hospital as it will
agitate a too old senior...mistake?..sad..he was 98 years old and had been admitted only flour months into the facility from his home where we looked after him...……….he did have an enlarged prostate and I believe had trouble urinating so he was indanger of kidney failure not being able to release his baldder.

That's right--the family doctor is probably just a general prac. She needs to see a specialist.

I am in my late 60’s but had a total hysterectomy in my 50’s. I suffer from burning at times and frequent UTI’s. And painful sex.
I went to an ob/gyn and had a bacterial vaginal infection and vaginal atrophy. I did some research, and vaginal atrophy is a very common problem-a thinning of the vaginal wall-makes it vulnerable to bacteria. Which also makes it easier to get a UTI. I also discovered that after treatment for the bacterial infection, a prescription like Premarin should be applied daily for 7 days, then 2 x a week.
Doesn’t seem like regular primary care doctors know much about it, or think elderly women need worry about it since they aren’t having sex. Or they just don’t think it is a big deal.
I hope this is good information for caregivers, as it seems to be a common problem.

When my mom had this, she was told it was bladder spasms. Sometimes those come from a cathether, and sometimes from a UTI. The doctor put her on a bladder medicine, and the spasms stopped.

My 88 year old mother was admitted to the hospital three weeks ago for screaming, anger, etc.

Within that time frame I had a gynecologist come in and check because mom had been complaining about burning for some time, although I had taken her to many OB/GYN specialists.

That gynecologist found that mom had a fungal infection which was causing this burning. They put her on an oral and I biotic which I can’t remember the name of, but also a topical called Mycostatin.

From the moment they started that in the hospital until the time she got home she stopped complaining about the burning.

The problem now is that mom can’t remember to put the cream on and the burning is back. Even though we remind her to put the cream on - she absolutely does not remember - nor will she let anyone apply the cream for her.

I am in the process of getting her into a memory care facility where they will be able to take care of this for her.

Need to make sure that your mom does not have a fungal infection in that area. As each time she urinates it irritates that area.

I discovered I would get a burning problem when I drank sodas with the dark coloring like Coke or Dr. Pepper. Clear ones like Sprite or 7up don't bother me. I did some research on this and found there are lots of people who have this problem.

Most women have times of burning when urinating - BUT this is not the same as a UTI.

There is an area above the clitoris that gets irritated from the urine. A tiny dab of PeriGuard will take care of the burning/itching. PeriGuard is a barrier cream and just happens to be the one I tried first. You can also use pretty much any barrier cream you have on hand - Selan Silver is another good one. AloeVesta makes one.

The barrier cream should be put wherever discomfort is - starting with the area around where we urinate. This can also be used by the rectum as sometimes you can have a burning itch there too. I found the creams when I was tending my DH and he would have burning by the rectum.

I had to use the creams every day for my DH - a little barrier cream is very beneficial.

She drinking enough water/fluids? Concentrated urine can have that effect. Elder people tend to forget to drink as their thirst centers don't work well. dehydration is very common with the elder population. Not drinking enough fluids can also damage the kidneys. And don't use a straw. Especially if they have some dementia issues.

My urologist told me that too much cranberry was as bad as none. It’s very acidic and not good for an irritated bladder. The OTC bladder meds are only meant for a very short term. For my irritated bladder he prescribed Flaxovate and it does not color my urine. Makes my mouth a little dry, which makes me drink more water. It also stops my urinary burning.

Babs, I myself have had issues with this...then always a negative urine test. After much testing they found a condition that mimics a bladder infection often caused when I am under stress. This is actually not uncommon in women, I was told by my urologist. I use Azo, an OTC bladder symptom pill that calms the symptoms. The only drawback to the Azo is that it stains urine orange for 12 hours or so....the more water I drink the faster the staining goes away. You may want to use the disposable briefs to prevent staining if you try Azo. I found a half dose of one pill takes away the symptoms when I get them once in awhile.
Women often experience urinary tract discomfort from dryness after menopause. She could be having urinary tract discomfort from that, or wiping too much and hard, or using a too harsh soap down there too. You could try using a gentle feminine hygene cleanser, I know that helps me. It can be a lot of trial and error, but hopefully she will feel better soon.

I am thinking of a few reasons this could be happening.When anyone takes antibiotics they are more prone to yeast Infections and this could be one cause of the burning.Another reason is estrogen deficiency causes atrophic tissue that is a common reason for burning when urinating in elderly women. Her doc will likely prescribe a cream for both.Its common and it's something we usually don't think about.

I know taking anything in excess is not good, so is a daily cup of cranberry juice a good thing?

The poster recommending cranberry juice is 100% correct. I used to take high doses of Vitamin C for the same reason as well as colds, etc. It's worth noting that your mom may be having a bladder infection rather than a UTI, Watch your mothers diaper area to be sure it's not wet much of the time or she could develop a fungus or whatever it is that nursing home patients get with that condition.

She may have an UTI or it can be the laundry detergent. As far as a preventative care for uti's cranberry is great in preventing them. I have found that the cranberry juice adds weight fast so I recommend getting the cranberry capsules. You can find them at the health food store and I've used them with several of my clients and they work great.

Make sure she drinks plenty of water, even to the point of getting her a nice glass with a non-spill top and straw. That’s what the doctor told my mom.

Have they checked her for yeast infection? That can really be super uncomfortable. The symptoms vary and it can come and go. The symptoms can include stinging, itching, redness, and soreness. You don't always have discharge with it either. I'd ask the doctor if you can try a little anti-yeast cream, if you want to avoid a test for it. Some can be purchased over the counter and see if it helps. Trapped moisture makes it a perfect environment for yeast.

Also, have they actually done a proper urine test that takes several days or the quick one? I'd inquire if it's accurate.

I don't change my LO, but, I have noticed that the facility keeps Vaseline near my LO's changing items and I think they use it to create a barrier from the urine. I'd imagine it gets pretty tender. I'd examine anything that is used to make sure she's not allergic. Make sure nothing of fragrance is near her private area. It could be irritating.

I hope you get some other suggestions.

This could very well be urethritis or urethral syndrome from her incontinence products, unfortunately you don't have the option to do without so you will need to be scrupulous about cleanliness (try using baby wipes or a peri wash) and use barrier creams. A sitz bath might be a soothing option when she is having symptoms.