Dysuria can be due to issues originating in the bladder or urethra. The causes can be neurological, inflammatory, obstructive, or even cancerous. The most common cause of dysuria in females is a urinary tract infection, whereas the most common cause in males is obstruction by an enlarged prostate. Dysuria may also be caused by a bladder that squeezes too hard or too frequently, non-infectious inflammatory conditions, sexually transmitted diseases, stones in the bladder, scar tissue in the urethra, or, in some cases, cancer.