7 Causes of Cloudy Urine - Health.com

While everyone's urine looks different, urine typically falls on a yellow spectrum regarding color. Ideally, urine should also be on the paler yellow side and pretty translucent. However, having urine that's not clear may cause you concern.

In some instances, cloudy urine can be harmless; in others, it may be a sign of conditions like kidney stones or urinary tract infections (UTIs), especially if it has a strong odor. Here's what to know about cloudy pee if you're experiencing it and when you should talk to a healthcare provider.

Antonio Hugo Photo / Getty Images

Cloudy urine, especially with a strong smell, can indicate a UTI. If you have a UTI, you might notice other symptoms, such as burning or pain when urinating or needing to pee more frequently. A healthcare provider can diagnose a UTI after obtaining a urine sample.

Not drinking enough water can also cause cloudy urine, Sandip Vasavada, MD, a urologist at Cleveland Clinic, told Health. The color of your urine can also be a symptom of dehydration: your pee might be a little darker than it usually is. You may also find that you urinate less often if you're dehydrated.

You can have cloudy urine based on the foods and drinks you've consumed—particularly ones high in purines. Purines are substances naturally found in some foods that produce uric acid as a waste product. Crystals can form due to uric acid buildup and lead to health problems, such as kidney stones. High-purine foods include:

• Beer
• Fatty poultry
• Gravy
• High-fat dairy products
• Most seafood like anchovies, scallops, trout, and tuna
• Red meat
• Wild game meat, such as that from deer, duck, and lamb

Smelly urine and cloudy urine are both signs of kidney stones, which, as the name suggests, form in the kidneys but are passed via urination. Other symptoms of kidney stones include back pain or pain in your side, chills, fever, blood in the urine, burning when you urinate, and vomiting.

If you notice your pee looks cloudy and you haven't been practicing safer sex, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) could be to blame. Trichomoniasis is an STI that causes cloudy urine as well as symptoms such as abnormal discharge, pain while urinating, and genital itching.

Cystitis, which is bladder inflammation, is another cause of cloudy urine. The inflammation occurs following bacterial infections of the bladder. Along with urine cloudiness, you may also experience pee that has a strong odor and burning, painful urination. Other symptoms can be fever, abdominal pressure, or cramping.

If there's mucus in your urine, it could make your pee look cloudy, which states that having some mucus in your urine is normal. However, excess amounts could point to an underlying health condition.

Providing a urine sample can help a healthcare provider determine if the amount of mucus in your urine is normal. If it isn't, it could be a sign of one of the aforementioned health conditions, including UTIs and kidney stones. Additionally, mucus in the urine can also be a sign of other conditions, including bladder cancer and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

For some of the causes of cloudy urine, you can ensure that you stay hydrated. The amount you'll need for proper hydration depends on factors like age, sex, activity level, and even the weather.

Some changes to your diet can also be helpful. For example, you can limit moderate-purine foods like lunch meats, beans or peas, and You. Foods low in purine foods that you may want to enjoy more often include nuts and peanut butter or vegetables beyond asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, and spinach.

Getting treatment for the underlying cause of cloudy urine is important, too. Treatment options may vary depending on the reason for the change in reason. For example, antibiotics may be necessary for relieving and reducing UTI symptoms, including the appearance of urine cloudiness.

Cloudy urine can be harmless, but sometimes you may need to see a healthcare provider if, for example, you have other symptoms of a UTI or an STI. Also, see a healthcare provider if you notice the following changes to the quality of your urine:

• Dark brown urine that's also clear
• Discolored urine not caused by food or medicine
• Unexplained, persistent urine color changes
• Urine with blood
• Very dark yellow urine, which can be a sign of severe dehydration

A few reasons you may have cloudy urine range from your diet and being dehydrated to having a UTI or cystitis. Cloudy-looking pee isn't always bad, and you may be able to resolve it with diet changes and treatment. Still, seeking medical attention is best if you're experiencing consistently cloudy urine accompanied by other worrisome symptoms like fever or painful urination.

Adblock test (Why?)