In healthy people, urine is light yellow in color, transparent, and normally does not have an unpleasant pungent odor. The appearance of an unpleasant odor in urine may indicate some pathology not only of the organs that are involved in its formation and excretion, but also of many other body systems. Many people do not attach due importance to this symptom, but if you notice that the urine has some kind of unpleasant odor and it persists for a long time, you should consult a doctor.
Diseases of the genitourinary system
The most common cause of changes in urine odor is infectious diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract, for example, pyelonephritis.The most common cause of an unpleasant ammonia odor in urine is infectious diseases of the urinary system, such as cystitis and urethritis. This is due to the fact that pathogenic bacteria and their metabolic products enter the urine. It should be noted that the appearance of an unpleasant odor can be the first symptom of these diseases, which appears long before other signs. Usually, with diseases of the urinary system, patients are also bothered by pain in the lumbar region, lower abdomen, pain and burning when urinating, and the urine may become cloudy.
Cystitis can also be non-infectious in nature, but occur as a result of long-term use of medications that irritate the mucous membrane of the bladder (there are no bacteria in the urine). In such cases, urine may acquire a specific pharmaceutical or chemical odor.
The appearance of a putrid smell of urine can be a symptom of serious diseases of the genitourinary system in both men and women. This symptom can occur during inflammatory processes accompanied by suppuration, as well as during the formation of rectal fistulas (vesico-rectal fistulas). Such diseases require immediate treatment.
Unpleasant odor of urine in men may indicate development. Other symptoms of this disease include perineal pain, difficulty urinating and sexual dysfunction.
In women, the appearance of an unpleasant odor in urine, especially worse after sexual intercourse, may indicate the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or disturbances in the balance of vaginal microflora. For the same reasons, urine may have an unpleasant odor after childbirth.
Diabetes
The appearance of an acetone odor in the urine indicates the presence of ketone bodies in it, which may be a symptom of diabetes mellitus. Usually this disease is accompanied by other symptoms, such as excruciating thirst, dry skin, weight loss, spasms of the calf muscles,. Such signs may also appear in pregnant women, which may indicate the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.
The appearance of the smell of ketone bodies in urine can be associated not only with diabetes, but also with dehydration, starvation or severe infectious diseases.
Diseases associated with metabolic disorders
An unpleasant fishy smell of urine may indicate a rather rare disease associated with metabolic disorders - trimethylaminuria, in which the substance trimethylamine accumulates in the human body. The appearance of this substance in the urine gives it the smell of rotten fish.
A mouse odor may appear in urine due to phenylketonuria. This is a genetic disease in which the metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine is disrupted, it accumulates in the tissues of the body and the amount of this substance in the urine increases, which gives it a specific smell.
The odor of maple syrup or burnt sugar appears in the urine of leucinosis, also called maple syrup disease. This is a hereditary pathology in which the activity of the enzyme system that ensures the oxidation of certain amino acids is reduced. The disease begins to manifest itself from the first days of a newborn’s life and requires immediate treatment.
With many other metabolic disorders in the body, the urine may develop various odors: the smell of beer, rotten cabbage, mold, sweat or sulfur. In any case, the appearance of an unusual odor in urine is a reason to consult a doctor.
External factors
The appearance of an unpleasant odor in urine is not always associated with diseases; absolutely healthy people can also face this problem. Some foods, especially asparagus, spicy and salty foods, and alcohol, contain substances that give urine an unpleasant odor. As a rule, it disappears on its own within 24–48 hours after eating them.
Sometimes the appearance of an unpleasant odor in urine is associated with taking certain medications, such as antibiotics (ampicillin, ciprofloxacin) and B vitamins. The problem resolves on its own after stopping taking these medications.
The appearance of a strong ammonia odor in urine is one of the symptoms of an imbalance in the body due to diets and dehydration. To avoid this, you should drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid daily, and when following a diet, make sure that the diet is balanced and the body is provided with a sufficient amount of nutrients and vitamins.
Unpleasant smell of urine in a child
In breastfed babies, the smell of urine is affected by the foods the mother eats. Newborn feces have virtually no odor. As a child grows older, the urine of a child acquires the same smell as that of an adult. The causes of unpleasant odor in urine are usually associated with the same pathologies as in adults.
In case of hereditary diseases associated with metabolic disorders in the body, an unpleasant odor in the urine appears from the first days of life; very often such diseases are diagnosed in the maternity hospital, and their treatment begins there.
A child's urine may acquire an unpleasant odor due to inflammatory diseases of the urinary system. In diseases accompanied by increased body temperature and dehydration, urine becomes more concentrated, which also causes an unpleasant odor in the baby's stool. In such a situation, it is necessary to give the child more fluid to drink.
The appearance of a smell in a child's urine does not always indicate any disease. In breastfed babies, the smell of urine may be affected by the mother's diet, such as eating cabbage. Changing formula milk and introducing complementary foods can also cause a change in the smell of your baby's stool.
Most often, the reasons for the unpleasant odor of urine in a child are quite banal, however, this symptom cannot be ignored. Even if nothing bothers the child, you should bring this to the attention of the pediatrician.
Which doctor should I contact?
If there is an unpleasant odor in the urine, you should contact a urologist and show the child to a pediatrician. If a metabolic disorder is detected, you should be treated by an endocrinologist. If hereditary metabolic diseases are detected, consultation with a geneticist or nutritionist will be useful.
: causes and treatment. If there is an unpleasant smell of urine, then this is a sign of some disease of the genitourinary system or internal organs and it is necessary, in such cases, to consult a specialist. When a person is healthy, urine does not have any unpleasant odor, only when it stands for a long time, it begins to smell of ammonia. Urine acquires an unpleasant odor in the following cases:
- If lingering pain occurs in the lower back and the urine has an unpleasant odor, this is a sign that an inflammatory process has begun in the kidneys (pyelonephritis);
- If cutting pain occurs in the bladder area when urinating, if the urine is cloudy in color and has an unpleasant ammonia smell, then this is a sign of a disease such as cystitis;
- If there is purulent and bloody discharge in the urine, this indicates inflammation of the urethra (urethritis);
- In diabetes, the urine smells like apple; and etc.
Urine is a virtually sterile liquid. It is popularly used as a remedy for many diseases, both internal and external.
In case of any disease, various substances - waste products of bacteria - are eliminated with the help of urine. And if your urine has changed - its color, smell, consistency - this is a serious reason to go to see a general practitioner and get tested to identify the causes of this deviation.
Especially if you notice the appearance of the smell of ammonia - a characteristic sharp, striking odor. In this case, we can already conclude that you are experiencing some kind of inflammatory phenomenon. The resulting inflammatory process can be the result of many factors. These include: hypothermia, weakened immune system, cystitis, pyelonephritis, pyelitis, malignant neoplasms, tuberculosis.
It happens that urine begins to emit a sweetish odor with a hint of acetone. If this occurs against the background of constant strong thirst, weight loss, increased dry skin, vision problems, calf cramps, urge to pee at night, this is a sign of diabetes mellitus, and you should immediately get tested for sugar.
The unpleasant smell of urine, giving off rottenness and feces, indicates the presence of suppuration processes in the urinary organs, as well as sexually transmitted infections and gangrenous phenomena. In addition, such a smell is a sign of a vesico-rectal fistula. In other words, damage and decomposition of the tissues of the excretory system begins. The seriousness of these phenomena is beyond any doubt.
We will also notice the smell of urine, similar to rancid oil or the smell of rotten cabbage, which is a signal of increased methionine content in the body fluid - hypermethioninemia.
The musty odor is caused by phenylketonuria, in which byproducts of phenylalanine metabolism accumulate in the body. Phenylketonuria leads to severe damage to the central nervous system.
An unpleasant smell of urine sometimes occurs after sexual intercourse. This is a consequence of disrupted microflora of the genital organs, which in turn appears as a result of cystitis, thrush, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.
A strong unpleasant odor of urine in men is possible in the case of prostate adenoma. At the same time, the anterior bladder enlarges and there is a feeling of incomplete emptying. Excess urine accumulates in the canals, which causes inflammation.
Well, another reason for the unpleasant smell of urine is alcohol abuse, especially beer, spicy and salty foods.
How to remove a nasty smell?
Getting rid of the smell of urine can only be achieved if the causes are carefully studied and adequate treatment is prescribed. Among folk remedies, we can recommend any diuretic preparations, drinks made from cranberries, lingonberries, rose hips, horsetail, and knotweed. That is, those herbs and plants that have cleansing, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the key point in treatment is to adhere to a proper balanced diet, avoiding alcohol, salty, fatty, hot, pickled and spicy foods.Urine is blood plasma filtered by the kidneys; it contains substances that the body does not need. In a healthy person, it does not have a pungent odor. It appears after ammonia reacts with air.
If the smell of urine is strong when urinating, this indicates serious health problems. It changes when pathological processes occur in the body. Which often indicates the presence of diseases of the urinary system.
The presence of unpleasant amber urine in men and women can be a symptom of a dangerous disease that requires timely treatment.
This is due to the presence of an infection in the body, in which bacteria enter the urine and cause phenomena such as burning, stinging, and bleeding from the urethra.
Waste blood is collected in the kidneys and sent as urine to the bladder, from where it is excreted from the body. Spent plasma contains dead cells and pathogenic bacteria. Discharge from the genital organs gets into the urine of women.
Urine contains substances filtered by the kidneys. This:
- some medications;
- flavoring agents from food products;
- products of hormone metabolism;
- substances of the endocrine glands located in the genitals;
- pus;
- blood.
Urine has a different smell due to different disorders in the body. A strong smell of urine is observed in a number of diseases.
Urine smells rotten when:
- liver failure - often occurs against the background of cirrhosis, hepatitis, accompanied by yellowing of the sclera of the eyes, skin, bleeding gums, deterioration in general health, heavy menstruation in women;
- pyelonephritis - inflammatory kidney disease. Accompanied by fever, loss of appetite, back pain, nausea, weakness;
- inflammatory diseases of the bladder and intestines - stench due to bacteria from the intestines entering the bladder.
The smell of acetone in the urine appears when animal proteins predominate in the diet. Often appears in patients with diabetes. In women during pregnancy, the pungent smell of acetone indicates dehydration of the body, accompanied by vomiting and nausea.
The smell of ammonia appears with severe dehydration, inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as malignant neoplasms.
Mouse stench can occur with phenylketonuria, an inherited disease. The smell of fish occurs due to bacterial infections of the genitourinary system, trimethylaminuria.
Beer aroma is a symptom of hypermethioninemia as well as malabsorption. A rotten smell is observed with purulent cystitis and urethritis.
The chemical accompanies those taking certain medications. The aroma of soaked apples is acquired by the urine of patients with diabetes.
A bitter odor in urine may occur after eating certain foods. Liquids and foods containing flavorings transfer the odor to urine.
Causes
Foreign odor in urine has its own reasons. Eating food with garlic can cause a strong stench from urine.
The cause of the unpleasant odor is the presence of diseases: trimethylaminuria, pyelonephritis, hyperglycemia, venereal diseases.
In sour children, the smell of urine indicates the possibility of dysbacteriosis, gastritis, duoditis.
Many people say that after eating buckwheat, their urine smells like buckwheat. Others, after eating, feel that their urine smells like roasted seeds or corn sticks.
This should not cause much concern, since the aroma of the seeds appears after drinking coffee. This also happens after spicy and smoked foods. To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you should limit salt in your diet.
Certain foods can cause unusual urine odor in women. In other cases, the reason lies in the presence of a sexually transmitted infection. It could be:
- chlamydia;
- uraplasmosis;
- trichomoniasis;
The smell of urine in the morning is more pronounced, which does not indicate the presence of illness. This may be a consequence of the increased concentration of hormones in it.
If a woman’s urine smells unpleasant after sexual intercourse, this indicates uncleanliness when contamination occurs from the perineum. This happens in women who are promiscuous. Also, the smell may indicate the presence of diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems.
The development of inflammatory processes causes the appearance of unpleasant odors. The smell of ammonia or acetone indicates the presence of an infection in the genitourinary system and some other diseases (tuberculosis, diabetes).
The appearance of putrid stench in urine may be a consequence of cystitis. Inflammation of the bladder can begin after a cold or infection.
Vitamins with long-term use cause the appearance of a foreign odor in urine, just like taking medications.
Smells of burnt sugar, iodine, and rubber can appear after 50 years; these are so-called age-related diseases. If the smell of rubber constantly haunts you, this may be a consequence of a brain disease.
Metabolic disorders cause the appearance of acetone and fish aromas. This is a symptom of hereditary diseases: trimethylaminuria, phenylketonuria. With leucinosis, the smell of burnt sugar is felt. All these diseases are detected at an early age and require treatment.
Metabolic disorders are accompanied by symptoms such as the presence of a foreign odor in urine, weight loss, extreme thirst, and dry skin. These include, for example, diabetes.
Dangerous symptoms
If your urine smells strongly, you should think about the presence of a serious illness if you have the following accompanying symptoms:
- blood discharge appears after urination;
- cramps are observed during the emptying of the bladder;
- urinary incontinence occurs;
- There are menstrual irregularities.
During pregnancy, a change in the smell of urine can be caused not only by natural processes in the body, but also by infection or metabolic disorders.
Pregnant women should be tested for protein content, since the composition of female urine affects the health of the expectant mother. Symptoms for which women should see a doctor:
- frequent urination;
- cloudy urine;
- strong stench;
- pain, burning when urinating.
Diagnostics
A strong smell of urine is a reason for testing. Tests will help identify the causes of the strong smell of urine. Sometimes protein foods are the cause. In this case, there is a feeling of the smell of acetone in the urine of an adult patient.
The results of a urine test will help determine the level of protein, leukocytes, and red blood cells. Urine tests, MRI, ultrasound, CT scan of the kidneys allow us to create a complete diagnostic picture of the disease.
Treatment
Diagnosis and treatment of the above diseases is carried out in clinics where there are additional opportunities for examining the genital tract. Various medications are used in treatment. In severe cases, surgery is possible.
Finally
The appearance of an unpleasant aroma of urine and an unusual shade of urine can either be a consequence of eating certain foods and taking medications, without posing a health hazard, or be a sign of a serious illness.
If suspicious symptoms are detected, you should not self-medicate; you must undergo examination by a doctor, as it is important to know the correct diagnosis for treatment.
A change in the smell of urine is a signal from the body about certain disturbances in the functioning of various internal organs. In some cases, you don’t need to pay special attention to it; it goes away on its own. But more often this phenomenon indicates serious problems. What does the strong smell of urine in women indicate, the causes of which are sometimes difficult to determine, and how to deal with it?
What causes urine odor?
Just like in men, changes in the female body can occur that provoke the appearance of odor. They are associated with the following factors:
- Eating food. Certain foods have a strong aroma that lingers. If a person has dined on a dish with onions, garlic, horseradish, then an unpleasant odor will appear not only from the mouth. After the process of digesting food, the urine may smell like smoked or roasted seeds, and a spicy aroma appears.
- Taking medications. This can be long-term use of antibiotics - in tablet form or injectable. Also, taking vitamin complexes, especially group B, provokes a pungent odor. After stopping the use of these medications, the problem goes away.
- Lack of proper hygiene. Some women do not know how to properly care for their genitals or do not maintain hygiene. Immediately after washing, the bad odor disappears, but over time it appears again. Women in old age need to take special care of genital hygiene. Some older people note that the smell appeared immediately after or during menopause.
- Dehydration of the body. If the problem appears exclusively in the morning, its cause is increased concentration and density of urine. The smell can also be associated with late visits to the toilet, when a woman endures it for a long time, sometimes all night (a common problem in children).
- Alcohol. The acrid smell of urine will certainly appear after drinking large quantities of alcohol.
Whichever of the above factors is the reason why a woman’s urine smell has changed, special measures are not needed to treat it, just actively follow all the rules of hygiene. It is important to eliminate the cause, then there should be no trace of the problem within 24 hours. If this does not happen, there is a reason to contact specialists for examination.
Causes of unpleasant odor
The nature of the aroma itself will help determine the cause. For those who have never encountered such a problem, it may seem that it is impossible to classify an unpleasant odor. In fact, there are several possible options.
A common cause is a fungal infection, often caused by candida. The characteristic smell of urine as a result of fungal infection is sour. Other symptoms are:
- constant itching, burning in the labia and vagina;
- tingling, discomfort when urinating;
- the color of urine becomes rich, yellow, cloudy;
- discharge appears, as with thrush.
Sexually transmitted diseases are also a common cause. Their occurrence is associated with the action of a sexually transmitted infection. The smell of discharge becomes fishy with bacterial vaginosis, and can be so strong that it can be felt from a distance. It is also transmitted through urine. Gynecologists note the most common sexually transmitted diseases that can be detected in a girl:
- trichomoniasis;
- chlamydia;
- mycoplasmosis;
- gonorrhea.
Each of these infections is accompanied by different symptoms. Women often pay attention to the following signs - traces of heavy discharge, stains on underwear, pain when urinating when cystitis occurs, decreased libido, painful sexual intercourse, and a constant feeling of discomfort.
Another common cause is E. coli, which affects the urinary tract and genitals. Most often, infection occurs due to non-compliance with hygiene rules. Urine with E. coli acquires an unpleasant odor.
Important! A common mistake when dealing with a stick is douching treatment. It is tightly attached to the walls of the vagina, so it is impossible to remove it using this method.
Other reasons
Less common are the following reasons for the smell of urine in women:
- Diabetes. As blood sugar rises, the level of acetone increases. The more its value exceeds the norm, the stronger the smell will be. In diabetes, urine smells like rotten apples.
- Malabsorption. This is a disease of the intestines; it cannot cope with the absorption of nutrients from food, which leads to their deficiency in the body. The urine smells like beer. This smell can also be observed with hypermethioninemia and liver failure.
- Leucinosis. The disease is transmitted at the genetic level, which creates problems with its treatment; it is chronic. The aroma of urine is sweetish, similar to the smell of maple syrup. When the disease is in the acute stage, it becomes too cloying and an admixture of rot appears.
The smell of ammonia is present in the urine of every person, only in a healthy body it is weakly expressed. If it intensifies, this indicates the onset of inflammatory processes: cystitis, urethritis, kidney disease.
Interesting! The smell of ammonia may become stronger when you hold back the urge to urinate for a long time. In this case, this is a one-time phenomenon.
Why does your body smell like urine?
Why in some cases does the smell appear from different parts of the body? The exact cause can only be determined through medical diagnostics and detection of serious diseases. This phenomenon interferes with the normal life of a woman at any age and brings discomfort, so there is no point in delaying seeking help.
Common causes of urine odor from a woman's body are:
- Hyperhidrosis of the third and fourth stages. Often, a severe form of this disease is accompanied by pathologies of the endocrine system and kidneys. They can provoke not just increased sweat production, but also the presence of urine odor in it.
- Lack of proper hygiene. Some women's living conditions do not allow them to take a shower every day, while others simply neglect the simple rules of regularly changing clothes and bed linen. As a result, bacteria settle on the body, and due to their activity, an unpleasant odor appears.
- Vaginal microflora disorders. There are many reasons for a malfunction: gynecological diseases, complications after childbirth, diseases of the genitourinary system (often due to age).
The smell of urine emanating from the whole body can appear for the same reasons as from the genitourinary organs. This is the frequent consumption of certain foods, alcohol, and the use of certain medications.
Interesting! The smell of urine often haunts beer lovers who drink at least 1 liter daily.
Treatment options
To determine how to get rid of the smell of urine, a woman needs to go to the hospital. Doctors will help determine the exact cause and prescribe treatment to eliminate the problem.
Treatment can be carried out at home by choosing a suitable remedy. It is impossible to undergo the examination on your own. Some people mistakenly treat kidney diseases and cystitis, but it turns out that they needed to fight sexually transmitted infections.
If a woman has a sexually transmitted disease, a gynecologist is involved in treatment. Usually it is also required for her sexual partner. If kidney disease is diagnosed, drug therapy includes taking antibiotics, antiseptics, and diuretics.
The main rule, which is required when any cause is detected, is genital hygiene. During treatment, when the fight against unpleasant odor is just beginning, it is necessary to wash yourself after each urination, using the products prescribed by your doctor. An herbal decoction is often used and added to the bath.
There are many reasons that cause unpleasant odor in urine. Some of them are safe: drinking alcohol, certain foods. If a symptom appears due to serious sexually transmitted diseases, liver or kidney pathologies, complex treatment is required. It is prescribed by a doctor after diagnosing the patient.
In healthy people, the smell of urine is almost not felt, and only when standing for quite a long time does a sharp, specific ammonia smell appear. During some diseases, accompanied by certain pathological processes, the chemical composition of this excretory product of the human body changes. It is these changes that lead to the appearance of “smelly” urine, although there are other factors that lead to this. So what else changes the smell of urine that may not cause much concern? These reasons include consumption (especially long-term) of large quantities of certain foods, such as garlic, onions, spices, smoked meats, alcohol, beer. Other non-dangerous reasons that change the smell of urine include insufficient fluid intake. The above factors indicate that a person simply needs to change his diet. After adjusting your diet, the smell of urine usually returns to normal.
In the case when a person is sick and takes some potent drugs, changes in the smell of urine may also be observed, since many drugs are actively excreted through the genitourinary system. Usually, when you stop taking medications, the smell of urine normalizes.
If a person eats normally and does not take medications, and the strong smell of urine becomes more and more pronounced, a complete diagnosis of the person is necessary, since the smell is considered one of the main indicators in a general urine test. Recently, such changes in odor are increasingly occurring even in the youngest children, so it is necessary to monitor the process of urination of your children and, if necessary, immediately seek the advice of a doctor.
Possible reasons for odor changes include the following:
1. The most common case today is the smell of acetone, which appears when a person develops a disease such as ketonuria. In this case, ketone bodies (beta-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoneacetic acid, acetone) are present in the urine. This smell of urine can occur with diseases such as diabetes, infectious diseases, exhaustion, and dehydration. Sometimes the urine of pregnant women smells like acetone.
2. A pungent odor of decay products occurs during infectious lesions caused by Escherichia coli. These include urethritis, pyelonephritis and cystitis.
Z. in urine can occur in diseases such as isovaleric acidemia and glutaric acidemia, which are classified as hereditary fermentopathies.
4. A purulent odor may appear when masses enter if there are fistulas between the purulent cavity in the body and the urinary system.
5. The mouse odor occurs with phenylketonuria, which is a genetic disease accompanied by a metabolic disorder of the amino acid phenylalanine.
6. The smell of rotten fish appears with trimethylaminuria, which is also a genetic disease.
7. The cabbage smell indicates a malabsorption of the amino acid methionine (methionine malabsorption).
8. In some men, the musty smell of urine can be caused by difficulty urinating and “stagnation” of urine in the bladder, where inflammation occurs.
9. In women, a change in odor often occurs with thrush, cystitis and other gynecological diseases.
There are some other reasons that change the smell of urine. This symptom often becomes a signal of the occurrence of serious diseases, so if such changes occur, you should urgently seek medical advice. An accurate diagnosis will be established after all tests have been carried out.