Cloudy Urine

Causes

Unhealthy urine (UTI)

Urinary tract infections (UTI) is the most common cause for producing hazy, cloudy urine that can have a strong smell as well as a dark yellow color property. Millions of people suffer with UTI annually, making it one of the most common infections.

Although generally there accompanies no pain or discomfort, some patients might experience pain or a sense of burning during urination. Cloudy urine can also be a sign of an underlying infection that can also cause you to witness burning while urinating, along with frequent visits to relieve yourself. If this happens you should seek medical advice immediately.

Kidney stones

Cloudy urine associated with kidney stones generally does not have a bad smell, but in some cases may have traces of blood. The releasing of kidney stones through urination can be very painful as it passes through the urethra. It should also be noted that kidney stones cause pain even though you are not urinating. The pain will be frequent until the stones have passed.

What are kidney stones?

Knowing the type of kidney stone condition is needed to diagnose the exact cause. Kidney stones form when urine contains more calcium, oxalate and uric acid than the urine can dilute. The urine may also lack the substances that normally prevent crystals from sticking to each other. When this happens it provides an ideal situation for kidney stones to form.

Most kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is naturally found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and chocolate. Dietary factors and high doses of vitamin D along with metabolic disorders can increase the amount of calcium or oxalate in the urine. Other stones are:

Struvite stones

Caused from infections like a urinary tract infection. The stones can grow quickly and can get very large.

Uric acid stones

Form in people who do not hydrate properly or lose to much fluid. People at risk are on a high-protein diet or have gout.

Cystine stones

People at risk of these stones have hereditary disorders that cause kidneys to excrete amino acids too much.

Cloudy Urine in pregnant women

During pregnancy women go through a lot of changes that is both physical and hormonal. Due to these changes taking place it is not uncommon for pregnant women to have cloudy urine. Vaginal discharge can also be a strong cause for the cloudy urine accompanied by a stronger than normal odor which is perfectly normal because of the discharge.

Symptoms

Common symptoms associated with urinary tract infections (UTI) are:

• Pain of the stomach
• Unusual color of the urine (dark, orange, bloody)
• Cramps in the bladder
• Urine accompanied by bad odor
• An increase or lack of urination
• Urination accompanied by burning or pain

Causes

Some of the most common causes in both men and women are:

a. Diet, one factor for the change of urination color

b. UTI

Urinary tract infection (UTI) associated with burning and pain, although sometimes without.

What causes UTI?

Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria overcoming the body’s defenses in the urinary tract. They can affect the kidneys, bladder and tubes that run between them.

The urinary tract is responsible for removing waste fluid from the body. It consists of the bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra.

The kidneys filter the blood, removes waste and surplus water to form urine. The urine then travels through the ureters and is stored in the bladder until it is ready to pass through the urethra, which is the process better known as urination. The opening of the urethra in men is at the end of the penis. In women it is at the front of the vagina.

c. Cystitis

Cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder

What causes cystitis?

Cystitis is a urinary tract infection that causes inflammation of the bladder. It is a bacteria that starts off outside the body and enters the urinary tract through the urethra and begins to multiply. Most cases of cystitis are caused by the E.coli bacteria.

Cystitis infections may occur in women as a result of sexual intercourse. But even sexually inactive females are at risk from cystitis. The main reason for this is because the female genital region often harbors bacteria that can cause cystitis. Although bacteria is the main cause of cystitis there are some noninfectious circumstances where the bladder can become inflamed.

Interstitial cystitis

Mostly diagnosed in women and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. The condition is a chronic bladder inflammation, known as painful bladder syndrome and the cause of this condition is yet unknown.

Drug cystitis

Medications such as chemotherapy, cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide cause bladder inflammation, as broken down drugs exit your body.

Catheter cystitis

Use of a catheter over a lengthy period of time puts you at risk of bacterial infections and tissue damage that can become inflamed.

Cystitis can also happen if your body is also under the influence of diabetes, kidney stones, enlarged prostate or a spinal cord injury.

d. Kidney stones, jagged stones that can tear through the urethra

Treatment

For cloudy urine with a bad smell caused by your diet, all you have to do is change your diet to stop the odor. Cloudy urine caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) is curable by taking a course of antibiotics.

For cloudy urine caused by kidney stones, patients are often given pain killers for the relief of the pain. Sometimes stones can get quite big and may make it impossible for them to be passed through the urination process.

When this happens patients are given treatments of shockwaves and ultrasounds to try and break up the stones, so they may be passed more easily when urinating. If you have the slightest worry about either your urination color or odor, it is always advisable to seek medical help as soon as possible.

References

1. http://www.belmarrahealth.com/cloudy-urine-causes-symptoms-and-treatments/
2. http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/health-answers/what-your-pee-is-telling-you/
3. http://www.urinecolors.com/urine-consistency/cloudy-urine