Cloudy Urine

The urine’s color has something to do with your health condition. Excretion of urine aids in various bodily processes. It helps regulate the balance of fluid in the body. It eliminates toxic substances and other waste materials.

Based on the color and odor of the urine, health care professionals can predict whether something unusual is happening in your body. The normal urine color is straw yellow. A darker or lighter urine could indicate that something is not right. ^{(3, 4)}

Image 1: A normal colored urine
Picture Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com

Photo 2: A urine that is cloudy and appears to be white in color
Picture Source: insidetheclinic.com

Photo 3: Two containers containing urine specimen.
Image Source: healthsaline.com

Cloudy urine Causes

Cloudy urine dehydration

A cloudy urine could indicate that your body is dehydrated. To correct the problem, you should take a lot of water.

Cloudy urine secondary to infection

some health conditions cause the body to produce excessive number of protein or crystalline material in the urine. This causes the urine to look foamy or cloudy. It is common in people with urinary tract infection, especially cystitis (bladder infection).

see : Crystals in Urine ( calcium oxalate, uric acid, amorphous) 

Cloudy urine pregnancy

Is cloudy urine a sign of pregnancy? It is a probable sign of pregnancy. Usually, pregnant women are prone to urinary tract infection causing the urine to appear cloudy. If you are pregnant and you notice that your urine looks cloudy, you should see your doctor immediately. Urinary tract infection during pregnancy can lead to preterm delivery.

It is also associated with low infant weight. On the other hand, a cloudy urine during pregnancy could also indicate that your hormones are changing. During early stage of pregnancy, the urine can become cloudy, which makes it one of the probable signs of pregnancy. A cloudy urine during pregnancy can also be associated with vaginal discharge that gets mixed in the urine. ^{(1, 2, 5)}

Kidney stones

They cause pus in the urine making the urine look foamy or cloudy. They can be extremely painful and resemble symptoms similar to that of the bladder infection.

Cloudy urine STD

Why is my urine cloudy and smell bad? Well, it could be a sign that you are suffering from sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhoea. It causes increased vaginal discharge in the penis and vagina and once it gets mixed in the urine, it makes the urine appear cloudy.

A cloudy urine can be caused by chlamydia, which is a serious form of sexually transmitted disease. Can a yeast infection cause your urine to be cloudy? Yes. Many sexually transmitted diseases are caused by a yeast infection. ^{(4, 5, 9)}

Is a cloudy urine alarming in nature?

Just because your urine appears cloudy does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from infection or serious health condition. If you have a cloudy urine no pain for several days in a row, you might want to consult your doctor. However, you have to assess as to what could possibly be the causes for cloudy urine.

Was it the medication you take? Was it because of the foods you eat? Did you just have a sexual intercourse? These are actually the usual things that could somehow affect the clarity of the urine. If you noticed that your urine looks cloudy for several days, then you have to see your doctor. The doctor will request for a urinalysis to detect any underlying cause of cloudy urine.

The urinalysis will not just check the clarity of the urine, but also the concentration and chemical composition. ^{(7, 8)}

How to clear up cloudy urine?

The root cause of cloudy urine should be ruled out first. If it is caused by infection, it should be treated with antibiotics. The urine will clear up within a few days. If it is caused by kidney stones, it should be treated with pain medications, not only to clear up the urine but also to alleviate pain and discomfort.

For cloudy urine secondary to pregnancy, the patient is to be put on complete bed rest. The patient will also receive medications to lower blood pressure. ^{(5, 10)}

How to clear up cloudy urine naturally?

• L-arginine – it is an amino acid that is a good detoxifying agent. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immune-modulating properties. It promotes bladder cells regeneration. It inhibits the growth of harmful microorganisms, especially the ones causing urinary tract infection. ⁽⁶⁾
• Blueberry juice – it is rich in antioxidant and has the ability to inhibit and eliminate bacteria-causing urinary tract infection.
• Pineapples – It contains, bromelain, an enzyme that fights off urinary tract infection.
• Cranberry juice – It prevents E. coli, a microorganism and a leading cause of urinary tract infection. It prevents and treats urinary tract infection.
• Probiotics – They help repopulate the normal flora in the gastrointestinal tract. What probiotics do is they resist the invasion of pathogens, boost the immune system, and increase the number of good bacteria.
• Parsley – It acts as a natural detox and anti-inflammatory agent. It contains apigenin, which has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. ⁽⁹⁾
• Garlic – This herb is known for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It boosts the immune system, which is useful in treating infections, especially urinary tract infection.
• Increase the intake of fluid – Water has a natural healing property. If your body lacks fluid, it could lead to the growth of pathologic urinary tract infection and other diseases that could alter the normal functions of the urinary system. Keeping the body hydrated can significantly improve the clarity of the urine along with the symptoms of urinary tract infection. Adequate water in the body will cause you to urinate frequently, which aids in the flushing out of bacteria from the bladder. ^{(4, 5, 7)}

A cloudy urine does not always mean that there is something wrong with your health. However, if your urine has been cloudy for a long period of time, say for several weeks, and it does not seem to go away despite home remedies, then you should consult your doctor.

A cloudy urine that has been going on for several days could indicate a serious problem such as urinary tract infection, kidney problems, sexually transmitted disease, and so on.

References:

1. www.medicinenet.com
2. www.belmarrahealth.com
3. www.everydayhealth.com
4. www.mayoclinic.org
5. www.urinecolors.com
6. www.healthgrades.com
7. www.doctorshealthpress.com
8. www.ehealthstar.com
9. www.healthhype.com
10. A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests By Frances Talaska Fischbach, Marshall Barnett Dunning