What does pain in the urethra of a woman indicate?

Urethra pain for women can be an indication for several common medical conditions including urinary tract infection, sexually transmitted infection and postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis, according to Healthline. Urethra pain can also be caused by irritation resulting from sexual activity, soaps, douching and contraception.

Urinary tract infections are usually caused by bacteria and can occur in any part of the urinary tract, explains Healthline. Common symptoms include pain during urination, bloody or cloudy urine, and pelvic pain.

Another possible cause for urethra pain in women is infection by gonorrhea, which is transmitted sexually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of a gonorrhea infection include painful urination, vaginal discharge and bleeding.

Postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis refers to the thinning of vaginal walls in older women due to decreased estrogen levels, reports Mayo Clinic.