Opaque urine: Causes, diagnosis and treatment

The color and smell of urine is an important diagnostic tool, as it acts as an indicator of health status and can indicate the development or presence of any health problem. .

The urine of a healthy person is usually light yellow and if it is in any other shade, darker or lighter - it is a sign of health problems.

Opaque urine is one of the main indicators of urinary tract infection (UTI), the most common bacterial infection affecting women. However, that does not mean that only women are affected because cloudy urine is also likely to occur in men and children. And it should be noted that cloudy urine is not only due to UTI, there are many other reasons such as dehydration, kidney problems, etc.

Opaque urine is not only due to UTI but it has many other reasons such as dehydration, kidney problems .

Causes of urine cloudiness

The difference in color of urine may be due to the following reasons

1. Dehydration

If urine is dark, it can be easily confirmed that cloudy urine is the result of dehydration - when a person does not drink enough fluid. Children and the elderly are at greater risk of dehydration (can be caused by diarrhea, vomiting or fever).

2. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

One of the most common causes of cloudy urine, UTI makes the urine cloudy or colored like milk. Urine may also have a bad smell. Infection can cause discharge of pus or blood into the urinary tract, causing urine to become cloudy. Opaque urine may also be due to the accumulation of white blood cells. A specific type of UTI, called cystitis, causes cloudy urine to accompany urination. Urinary infections can cause urination, difficulty urinating a lot or emptying the bladder, burning during urination, foul smelling urine and pain in the pelvis, lower abdomen or waist.

3. Kidney infection

Most infections that affect the kidneys will begin as urinary tract infections and can spread and worsen if not treated properly. Kidney infections can cause cloudy urine because the infection produces pus, mixed with urine. Similar to the symptoms of urinary tract infections, kidney infections can cause fever, chills, cramps, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, back pain and dark urine, bloody or foul-smelling. Kidney infections may also be due to kidney stones.

4. Sexually transmitted infections (STI)

One of the most common infections today, STI is common even in developed countries. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are some of the main causes of cloudy urine because these two infections cause the immune system to fight back by producing white blood cells that can mix with urine; thus making urine cloudy.

5. Vaginal vulvar inflammation

Vaginal vaginitis can cause cloudy urine. Causes of bacterial and fungal infections, inflammation can also be triggered by certain ingredients in soap, detergents, fabric discharge, care products, etc. Vaginal vulvar inflammation may cause itching. around the vulva, the bad gas has a bad smell, the gas is thin, pale, the air is stained, the smell is fishy, ​​heavy after having sex and peeing. Opaque urine can also be caused by prostatitis causing pain ejaculation, abdominal pain and blood in the urine.

6. Diet

Eating habits can also cause cloudy urine. According to various studies, it has been shown that a person's diet can make urine cloudy. When eating a lot of foods containing high levels of phosphorus or vitamin D, urine will become cloudy as the kidneys excrete excess phosphorus through the urine.

7. Diabetes

In some cases, cloudy urine may originate from diabetes or diabetic nephropathy. The reason is that the body is trying to remove excess sugar through the urine.

Diagnosis of cloudy urine

The doctor will ask for a urine sample to be checked. They will also send samples for follow-up tests to find out the cause.

Treatment of cloudy urine

Depending on the cause, the doctor will choose the appropriate treatment:

• For dehydration : You will be asked to drink more water and to eat foods that are rich in water. If the condition is serious, you will be hospitalized.
• For urinary infections : The doctor will administer antibiotics to treat infections and in severe cases, patients will have to take intravenous medication.
• For kidney stones : Most stones will come out of the body naturally. Your doctor will prescribe pain medicine if you have a lot of pain. In severe cases, the doctor will prescribe medication or therapy for extracorporeal stones or surgery, depending on the size of the stone.
• For STI : Treatment will be indicated depending on the type of infection. Mostly antibiotics are prescribed.
• For vaginal vaginosis : Your doctor will prescribe antifungals, antiviral drugs or medications to treat symptoms.
• For diabetes : You will need to do urine tests to check for kidney damage.