I'm female, 36, not sexually active for the past several years. A week ago, the same day I started my period, a very odd thing started happening: at the end of urination, I feel this very intense, strange tickling sort of sensation at or around the urethral opening. There is typically also a bit of a pulsing spasm in the surrounding tissue. It doesn't burn.. I should note that I've never had a UTI or a yeast infection, but everybody says burning = UTI, and this doesn't burn. The same time this started, I experienced a marked increase in frequency of urges to pee. There wouldn't be much, but I'd feel like I had to go almost constantly for the first day, then just every hour or so the second day, and it tapered off (the frequent urges to pee; the tickle was still present) from there until it finally stopped altogether just yesterday. No more eye-watering tense tickle at the end of urination, no more urge to go every two hours, just as my period ended. I had been thinking the two must be related (some new perk of getting older), except suddenly today it happened again: intense tickle/tingle at the end of urination, and most of the day I felt like if I didn't go pee Right Now, I was going to be in trouble. If I just sit on the toilet a while and let urine drip out as it will, the odd tingly tickle happens every time there's a drip. It's not painful, but it is rather annoying, and I'd like it to stop.
My friends automatically say UTI, and I should drink cranberry juice and take AZO, but with such a sudden onset, and no changes in my regular routine, I'm doubtful. I don't make a habit of holding it.. I go when I feel the urge, unless I have to wait ten minutes for a free bathroom stall at work (today being an exception: I knew I didn't really need to pee every 20 minutes, and since I was at work, I tried to limit my bathroom breaks. I still took six in a nine-hour shift, though). I drink between 1.5 and 2.5 liters of water a day, plus the odd can of soda, glass of apple juice, or crystal light. Every now and then a glass of milk. My urine is typically a pale to medium yellow, doesn't have any odd smell or cloudiness. I had a 10-day course of 875mg Augmentin a month ago for a serious sinus infection, coupled with a steroid pack and norco for pain. Beyond all that, I don't know what else might be relevant.
If anybody knows the solution, that would be smashing.