Why does my baby’s urine smell?

Story highlights

• New study shows smelly urine could indicate a urinary tract infection
• If the smell is combined with a fever, bring it to your pediatrician’s attention
• Smell could be natural, from certain foods or mild dehydration

Q: My baby’s urine smells really bad! Is there something wrong?

A new study published in this week’s journal Pediatrics suggests that a combination of fever and foul-smelling urine can be a sign of a urinary tract infection in babies.

Researchers surveyed the parents of more than 300 children between 1 and 36 months of age with a fever. Of those children, 57% who reported to smelly urine were discovered to have a urinary tract infection. Only 32% of those without smelly urine had a UTI.

The smell is thought to come from intestinal bacteria that have entered the urinary tract and multiplied to the point of causing an infection.

Fever in a young child without an explained cause, such as a cold or ear infection, might be written off with the assumption that it is being caused by a virus. Left untreated, UTIs can lead to increased fevers and possible kidney problems.

If your child has a fever, you may want to sniff and see if his or her diaper smells out of the ordinary. If so, be sure to bring the stinky urine to your pediatrician’s attention so tests can be performed to check for a UTI.

Of course, that’s not the only explanation for smelly urine. As a parent changing your baby’s wet diaper, you may notice a light smell of ammonia and other normal waste from the kidneys.

Urine may also have a stronger odor when it is more concentrated, such as first thing in the morning, or during times of illness and mild dehydration.

It is well known that certain foods can cause a change in the urine’s smell (asparagus comes to mind), and medications such as penicillin also create a characteristic odor.

Plus, rare metabolic disorders and diabetes can give a sweet smell to one’s urine.

Bottom line? Check with your doctor if you notice the smell persists.

Urinary Tract Infections In Babies

Choose an AuthorAaron Barber, AT, ATC, PESAbbie Roth, MWCAdam Ostendorf, MDAdriane Baylis, PhD, CCC-SLPAdrienne M. Flood, CPNP-ACAdvanced Healthcare Provider CouncilAila Co, MDAlaina White, AT, ATCAlana Milton, MDAlana Milton, MDAlecia Jayne, AuDAlessandra Gasior, DOAlex Kemper, MDAlexandra Funk, PharmD, DABATAlexandra Sankovic, MDAlexis Klenke, RD, LDAlice Bass, CPNP-PCAlison PeggAllie DePoyAllison Rowland, AT, ATCAllison Strouse, MS, AT, ATCAmanda E. Graf, MDAmanda GoetzAmanda Smith, RN, BSN, CPNAmanda Sonk, LMTAmanda Whitaker, MDAmber Patterson, MDAmberle Prater, PhD, LPCCAmy Coleman, LISWAmy Dunn, MDAmy E. Valasek, MD, MScAmy Fanning, PT, DPTAmy Garee, CPNP-PCAmy Hahn, PhDAmy HessAmy Leber, PhDAmy LeRoy, CCLSAmy Moffett, CPNP-PCAmy Randall-McSorley, MMC, EdD CandidateAnastasia Fischer, MD, FACSMAndala HardyAndrea Brun, CPNP-PCAndrea M. Boerger, MEd, CCC-SLPAndrea Sattler, MDAndrew AxelsonAndrew Kroger, MD, MPHAndrew SchwadererAngela AbenaimAngela Billingslea, LISW-SAnn Pakalnis, MDAnna Lillis, MD, PhDAnnette Haban-BartzAnnie Drapeau, MDAnnie Temple, MS, CCC-SLP, CLCAnthony Audino, MDAnup D. Patel, MDAri Rabkin, PhDAriana Hoet, PhDArielle Sheftall, PhDArleen KarczewskiAshlee HallAshleigh Kussman, MDAshley Ebersole, MDAshley EcksteinAshley Kroon Van DiestAshley M. Davidson, AT, ATC, MSAshley Minnick, MSAH, AT, ATCAshley Overall, FNPAshley Parikh, CPNP-PCAshley Parker MSW, LISW-SAshley Parker, LISW-SAshley Tuisku, CTRSAsuncion Mejias, MD, PhDAurelia Wood, MDBailey Young, DOBecky Corbitt, RNBelinda Mills, MDBenjamin Fields, PhD, MEdBenjamin Kopp, MDBernadette Burke, AT, ATC, MSBeth Martin, RNBeth Villanueva, OTD, OTR/LBethany Uhl, MDBethany Walker, PhDBhuvana Setty, MDBill Kulju, MS, ATBlake SkinnerBonnie Gourley, MSW, LSWBrad Childers, RRT, BSBrandi Cogdill, RN, BSN, CFRN, EMT-PBrandon MorganBreanne L. Bowers, PT, DPT, CHT, CFSTBrendan Boyle, MD, MPHBrian Boe, MDBrian K. Kaspar, PhDBrian Kellogg, MDBriana Crowe, PT, DPT, OCSBrigid Pargeon, MS, MT-BCBrittney Hardin, MOT, OTR/LBrooke Sims, LPCC, ATRCagri Toruner, MDCaitlin TullyCaleb MosleyCallista DammannCallista PoppCami Winkelspecht, PhDCanice Crerand, PhDCara Inglis, PsyDCarl H. Backes, MDCarlo Di Lorenzo, MDCarly FawcettCarol Baumhardt, LMTCarolyn FigiCarrie Rhodes, CPST-I, MTSA, CHESCasey Cottrill, MD, MPHCasey TrimbleCassandra McNabb, RN-BSNCatherine Earlenbaugh, RNCatherine Sinclair, MDCatherine Trimble, NPCatrina Litzenburg, PhDCharae Keys, MSW, LISW-SCharles Elmaraghy, MDChelsea Britton, MS, RD, LD, CLC Chelsie Doster, BSCheryl Boop, MS, OTR/LCheryl G. Baxter, CPNPCheryl Gariepy, MDChet Kaczor, PharmD, MBAChris Smith, RNChristina Ching, MDChristina DayChristine Johnson, MA, CCC-SLPChristine Mansfield, PT, DPT, OCS, ATCChristine PrusaChristopher Goettee, PT, DPT, OCSChristopher Iobst, MDChristopher Ouellette, MDCindy IskeClaire Kopko PT, DPT, OCS, NASM-PESCody Hostutler, PhDConnor McDanel, MSW, LSWCorey Rood, MDCorinne Syfers, CCLSCourtney Bishop. PA-CCourtney Hall, CPNP-PCCourtney Porter, RN, MSCrystal MilnerCurt Daniels, MDCynthia Holland-Hall, MD, MPHDana Lenobel, FNPDana Noffsinger, CPNP-ACDane Snyder, MDDaniel Coury, MDDaniel DaJusta, MDDaniel Herz, MDDanielle Peifer, PT, DPTDavid A Wessells, PT, MHADavid Axelson, MDDavid Stukus, MDDean Lee, MD, PhDDebbie Terry, NPDeborah Hill, LSWDeborah Zerkle, LMTDeena Chisolm, PhDDeipanjan Nandi, MD MScDenis King, MDDenise EllDennis Cunningham, MDDennis McTigue, DDSDiane LangDominique R. Williams, MD, MPH, FAAP, Dipl ABOMDonna M. Trentel, MSA, CCLSDonna Ruch, PhDDonna TeachDoug WolfDouglas McLaughlin, MDDrew Duerson, MDEd MinerEdward Oberle, MD, RhMSUSEdward Shepherd, MDEileen Chaves, PhDElise Berlan, MDElise DawkinsElizabeth A. Cannon, LPCCElizabeth Cipollone, LPCC-SElizabeth Zmuda, DOEllyn Hamm, MM, MT-BCEmily A. Stuart, MDEmily Decker, MDEmily GetschmanEmma Wysocki, PharmD, RDNEric Butter, PhDEric Leighton, AT, ATCEric Sribnick, MD, PhDErica Domrose, RD, LDEricca L Lovegrove, RDErika RobertsErin Gates, PT, DPTErin Johnson, M.Ed., C.S.C.S.Erin Shann, BSN, RNErin TebbenFarah W. Brink, MDGail Bagwell, DNP, APRN, CNSGail Besner, MDGail Swisher, ATGarey Noritz, MDGary A. Smith, MD, DrPHGeri Hewitt, MDGina Hounam, PhDGina McDowellGina MinotGrace Paul, MDGregory D. Pearson, MDGriffin Stout, MDGuliz Erdem, MDHailey Blosser, MA, CCC-SLPHanna MathessHeather Battles, MDHeather ClarkHeather Yardley, PhDHenry SpillerHenry Xiang, MD, MPH, PhDHerman Hundley, MS, AT, ATC, CSCSHiren Patel, MDHoma Amini, DDS, MPH, MSHoward Jacobs, MDHunter Wernick, DOIbrahim Khansa, MDIhuoma Eneli, MDIlana Moss, PhDIlene Crabtree, PTIrene Mikhail, MDIrina Buhimschi, MDIvor Hill, MDJackie Cronau, RN, CWOCNJacqueline Wynn, PhD, BCBA-DJacquelyn Doxie King, PhDJaime-Dawn Twanow, MDJames Murakami, MDJames Popp, MDJames Ruda, MDJameson Mattingly, MDJamie Macklin, MDJane AbelJanelle Huefner, MA, CCC-SLPJanice M. Moreland, CPNP-PC, DNPJanice Townsend, DDS, MSJared SylvesterJaysson EicholtzJean Hruschak, MA, CCC/SLPJeff Sydes, CSCSJeffery Auletta, MDJeffrey Bennett, MD, PhDJeffrey Hoffman, MDJeffrey Leonard, MDJen Campbell, PT, MSPTJena HeckJenn Gonya, PhDJennie Aldrink, MDJennifer Borda, PT, DPTJennifer HofherrJennifer LockerJennifer PrinzJennifer Reese, PsyDJennifer Smith, MS, RD, CSP, LD, LMTJenny Worthington, PT, DPTJerry R. Mendell, MDJessalyn Mayer, MSOT, OTR/LJessica Bailey, PsyDJessica Bogacik, MS, MT-BCJessica Bowman, MDJessica BrockJessica Bullock, MA/CCC-SLPJessica Buschmann, RDJessica Scherr, PhDJim O’Shea OT, MOT, CHTJoan Fraser, MSW, LISW-SJohn Ackerman, PhDJohn Caballero, PT, DPT, CSCSJohn Kovalchin, MDJonathan D. Thackeray, MDJonathan Finlay, MB, ChB, FRCPJonathan M. Grischkan, MDJonathan Napolitano, MDJoshua Prudent, MDJoshua Watson, MDJulee Eing, CRA, RT(R)Julia Colman, MOT, OTR/LJulie ApthorpeJulie Leonard, MD, MPHJulie Racine, PhDJulie Samora, MDJustin Indyk, MD, PhDKady LacyKaleigh Hague, MA, MT-BCKaleigh MatesickKamilah Twymon, LPCC-SKara Malone, MDKara Miller, OTR/LKaren Allen, MDKaren Days, MBAKaren Rachuba, RD, LD, CLCKari A. Meeks, OTKari Dubro, MS, RD, LD, CWWSKari Phang, MDKarla Vaz, MDKaryn L. Kassis, MD, MPHKasey Strothman, MDKatherine Deans, MDKatherine McCracken, MDKathleen (Katie) RoushKathryn Blocher, CPNP-PCKathryn J. Junge, RN, BSNKathryn Obrynba, MDKatie Brind’Amour, MSKatie Thomas, APRKatrina Hall, MA, CCLSKatrina Ruege, LPCC-SKatya Harfmann, MDKayla Zimpfer, PCCKeli YoungKelley SwopeKelli Dilver, PT, DPTKelly AbramsKelly BooneKelly HustonKelly J. Kelleher, MDKelly McNally, PhDKelly N. Day, CPNP-PCKelly Pack, LISW-SKelly Tanner,PhD, OTR/L, BCPKelly Wesolowski, PsyDKent Williams, MDKevin Bosse, PhDKevin Klingele, MDKim Bjorklund, MDKim Hammersmith, DDS, MPH, MSKimberly Bates, MDKimberly Sisto, PT, DPT, SCSKimberly Van Camp, PT, DPT, SCSKirk SabalkaKris Jatana, MD, FAAPKrista Winner, AuD, CCC-AKristen Armbrust, LISW-SKristen Cannon, MDKristen E. Beck, MDKristen Martin, OTR/LKristi Roberts, MS MPHKristina Booth, MSN, CFNPKristina Reber, MDKristol Das, MDKyle DavisLance Governale, MDLara McKenzie, PhD, MALaura Brubaker, BSN, RNLaura DattnerLaurel Biever, LPCLauren Durinka, AuDLauren Garbacz, PhDLauren Justice, OTR/L, MOTLauren Madhoun, MS, CCC-SLPLauryn RozumLee Hlad, DPMLeena Nahata, MDLelia Emery, MT-BCLeslie Appiah, MDLinda Stoverock, DNP, RN NEA-BCLindsay Kneen, MDLindsay Pietruszewski, PT, DPTLindsay SchwartzLindsey Vater, PsyDLisa GoldenLisa M. Humphrey, MDLogan Blankemeyer, MA, CCC-SLPLori Grisez PT, DPTLorraine Kelley-QuonLouis Bezold, MDLourdes Hill, LPCC-S Lubna Mazin, PharmDLuke Tipple, MS, CSCSLynda Wolfe, PhDLyndsey MillerLynn RosenthalLynne Ruess, MDMaggy Rule, MS, AT, ATCMahmoud Kallash, MDManmohan K Kamboj, MDMarc Levitt, MDMarc P. Michalsky, MDMarcel J. Casavant, MDMarci Johnson, LISW-SMarcie RehmarMarco Corridore, MDMargaret Bassi, OTR/LMaria HaghnazariMaria Vegh, MSN, RN, CPNMarissa Condon, BSN, RNMarissa LarouereMark E. Galantowicz, MDMark Smith, MS RT R (MR), ABMP PhysicistMarnie Wagner, MDMary Ann Abrams, MD, MPHMary Fristad, PhD, ABPPMary Kay SharrettMary Shull, MDMatthew Washam, MD, MPHMeagan Horn, MAMegan Brundrett, MDMegan Dominik, OTR/LMegan FrancisMegan Letson, MD, M.EdMeghan Cass, PT, DPTMeghan Fisher, BSN, RNMeika Eby, MDMelanie Fluellen, LPCCMelanie Luken, LISW-SMelissa and Mikael McLarenMelissa McMillen, CTRSMelissa Winterhalter, MDMeredith Merz Lind, MDMichael Flores, PhDMichael T. Brady, MDMike Patrick, MDMindy Deno, PT, DPTMitch Ellinger, CPNP-PCMolly Gardner, PhDMonica Ardura, DOMonica EllisMonique Goldschmidt, MDMotao Zhu, MD, MS, PhDMurugu Manickam, MDNancy AuerNancy Cunningham, PsyDNancy Wright, BS, RRT, RCP, AE-C Naomi Kertesz, MDNatalie Powell, LPCC-S, LICDC-CSNatalie Rose, BSN, RNNathalie Maitre, MD, PhDNationwide Children’s HospitalNationwide Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health ExpertsNeetu Bali, MD, MPHNehal Parikh, DO, MSNichole Mayer, OTR/L, MOTNicole Caldwell, MDNicole Dempster, PhDNicole Greenwood, MDNicole Parente, LSWNicole Powell, PsyD, BCBA-DNina WestNkeiruka Orajiaka, MBBSOctavio Ramilo, MDOliver Adunka, MD, FACSOlivia Stranges, CPNP-PCOlivia Thomas, MDOmar Khalid, MD, FAAP, FACCOnnalisa Nash, CPNP-PCOula KhouryPaige Duly, CTRSParker Huston, PhDPatrick C. Walz, MDPatrick Queen, BSN, RNPedro Weisleder, MDPeter Minneci, MDPeter White, PhDPitty JenningsPreeti Jaggi, MDRachael Morocco-Zanotti, DORachel D’Amico, MDRachel Schrader, CPNP-PCRachel Tyson, LSWRajan Thakkar, MDRaymond Troy, MDRebecca Fisher, PTRebecca Hicks, CCLSRebecca Lewis, AuD, CCC-ARebecca M. Romero, RD, LD, CLC Reggie Ash Jr.Reno Ravindran, MDRichard Kirschner, MDRichard Wood, MDRobert A. Kowatch, MD, Ph.D.Rochelle Krouse, CTRSRohan Henry, MD, MSRose Ayoob, MDRose Schroedl, PhDRosemary Martoma, MDRoss Maltz, MDRyan Ingley AT, ATCSamanta Boddapati, PhDSamantha MaloneSammy CygnorSandra C. Kim, MDSara Bentley, MT-BCSara Bode, MDSara Breidigan, MS, AT, ATCSara N. Smith, MSN, APRNSara O’Rourke, MOT, OTR/L, Clinical LeadSara Schroder, MDSarah A. Denny, MDSarah Cline, CRA, RT(R)Sarah Driesbach, CPN, APNSarah GreenbergSarah Hastie, BSN, RNC-NIC Sarah Keim, PhDSarah MyersSarah O’Brien, MDSarah SaxbeSarah Schmidt, LISW-SSarah ScottSarah TraceySarah VerLee, PhDSasigarn Bowden, MDSatya Gedela, MD, MRCP(UK)Scott Coven, DO, MPHScott Hickey, MDSean EingSean Rose, MDSeth Alpert, MDShana Moore, MA, CCC-AShannon Reinhart, LISW-SShari UncapherSharon Wrona, DNP, PNP, PMHSShawn Pitcher, BS, RD, USAWShawNaye Scott-MillerShea SmoskeSheila GilesSimon Lee, MDStacy Whiteside APRN, MS, CPNP-AC/PC, CPONStefanie Bester, MDStefanie Hirota, OTR/LStephanie Burkhardt, MPH, CCRCStephanie CannonStephanie Santoro, MDStephanie Vyrostek BSN, RNStephen Hersey, MDSteve Allen, MDSteven C. Matson, MDSteven Ciciora, MDSteven CuffSuellen Sharp, OTR/L, MOTSusan Colace, MDSusan Creary, MDSwaroop Pinto, MDTabatha BallardTabbetha GrecoTabi Evans, PsyDTabitha Jones-McKnight, DOTahagod Mohamed, MDTamara MappTammi Young-Saleme, PhDTerry Barber, MDTerry Bravender, MD, MPHTerry Laurila, MS, RPhTheresa Miller, BA, RRT, RCP, AE-C, CPFTThomas Pommering, DOThomas SavageTiasha Letostak, PhDTiffanie Ryan, BCBA Tim RobinsonTimothy Cripe, MD, PhDTracey L. Sisk, RN, BSN, MHATracie Rohal RD, LD, CDETracy Mehan, MATravis Gallagher, ATTrevor MillerTyanna Snider, PsyDTyler Congrove, ATVanessa Shanks, MD, FAAPVenkata Rama Jayanthi, MDVidu Garg, MDVidya Raman, MDW. Garrett Hunt, MDWalter Samora, MDWarren D. Lo, MDWendy Anderson, MDWendy Cleveland, MA, LPCC-SWhitney McCormick, CTRSWhitney Raglin Bignall, PhDWilliam Cotton, MDWilliam J. Barson, MDWilliam Ray, PhDWilliam W. Long, MD

Hydronephrosis | Boston Children’s Hospital

What is hydronephrosis?

Hydronephrosis is a condition, affecting about 1 in 100 babies, where urine overfills or backs up into the kidney, causing the kidney to swell. Infants with hydronephrosis may be diagnosed before (prenatal) or after (postnatal) birth.

In many of the children who are diagnosed prenatally, the condition disappears spontaneously by the time of birth or soon after. In children who have mild or sometimes moderate hydronephrosis, kidney function is commonly unaffected and the condition may resolve over a period of time after delivery.

Hydronephrosis affects the drainage of urine from the urinary system — the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. When the urinary system is impaired, this can cause the urine to back up and the kidney to swell. Typically, hydronephrosis is caused by either something blocking urine flow or by urine leaking backward through the urinary system (reflux).

Your doctor will describe your child’s hydronephrosis as mild, moderate, or severe — based on how much the kidney is stretched and how much the urinary flow is impaired — and will tell you whether your child’s hydronephrosis affects one kidney (unilateral) or both kidneys (bilateral). More than half of the cases resolve by the time the baby is born or soon after.

What are the symptoms of hydronephrosis?

Most babies with hydronephrosis have no symptoms. Older children may also have no symptoms if they have mild or moderate hydronephrosis, and the condition may disappear on its own.

If your child has moderate to severe hydronephrosis, some symptoms may include:

• pain in the abdomen
• pain in the side (flank pain)
• blood in the urine (hematuria)

A child with hydronephrosis may develop a UTI. Symptoms of a urinary tract infection can include the following:

• strong urge to use the bathroom
• painful urination
• cloudy urine
• back pain
• fever
• vomiting

If your infant has had multiple urinary tract infections (UTIs) with (or without) a fever, it could indicate some kind of obstruction or reflux in the urinary system. However, UTIs can be difficult to spot in infants: In many cases, multiple, unexplained fevers are the only sign.

Older children may have more recognizable symptoms of UTIs, including a strong urge to urinate, painful urination, or cloudy urine. If your child tends to get repeat UTIs, you may want to have him evaluated for possible urinary tract obstruction.

What are the causes of hydronephrosis?

Two types of problems cause hydronephrosis. One is obstruction, where urine is physically prevented from draining out of the kidney. The obstruction, or blockage, can occur at any point in the urinary system from the kidney down to the urethra. The second is reflux, in which urine flows back up into the kidney.

Blockage (obstruction)

• Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction: A blockage at the point where the kidney joins the ureter (the thin tube that carries urine to the bladder). A narrowing at the top of the ureter is usually the cause.
• Ureterovesical junction (UVJ) obstruction: A blockage at the point where the ureter joins the bladder.
• Posterior urethral valves (PUV): A congenital condition, found only in boys, in which there are abnormal flaps of tissue in the urethra, causing bladder obstruction. This type of obstruction is also associated with vesicoureteral reflux. See below.
• Ureterocele: A bulge in the ureter that can obstruct part of the kidney and sometimes the bladder.
• Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR): A backwash of urine that happens when the muscles at the junction of the ureter and bladder aren’t working properly and allow urine to flow back up toward the kidney with bladder filling or emptying.

Other causes of hydronephrosis

• Ectopic ureter: A rare condition where a ureter doesn’t connect to the bladder in the normal location.
• Unknown: In more than half of the children who are prenatally diagnosed with hydronephrosis, the condition resolves itself and the cause is never known.

How we care for hydronephrosis

At Boston Children’s Hospital, we are here to help. Our physicians and nurses are trained in pediatric urology and have extensive experience with hydronephrosis. We are honored to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as #1 in the nation, and have the largest pediatric urology service in the world.

13 Reasons You Have Smelly Urine

Unless it’s the middle of the night and you’ve just been woken up, you probably don’t think much about peeing. You probably should, though.

“The whole concept of urine being a barometer, if you will, of overall health is not new,” says Michael O’Leary, MD, surgeon and urologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts. “Historically, physicians and healers would make diagnoses by looking at, smelling, and even tasting people’s urine.”

Today, we consider urine a market for a number of aspects of our health. “It gives us clues about our hydration status, filtration processes, renal (kidney), cardiac, hormonal, and even sleep health,” adds Tanaka Dune, MD, urogynecologist with Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

In fact, strange-smelling urine can tip you off to a number of health issues. Here, doctors dish on 13 potential culprits behind your stinky pee.

1. You’re simply dehydrated.

No surprise here, folks: Failing to drink enough water concentrates your urine, which can give it a stronger ammonia-like smell than usual, says Dr. Dune. (Basically, the waste products created in your kidneys don’t have enough fluid available to dilute them as you excrete them.)

The harsh smell is also typically accompanied by a darker-than-usual color (along with these other signs of dehydration), which should tip you off that it’s time to grab a giant glass of water, pronto, Dr. O’Leary adds.

2. A UTI or bladder infection could be to blame.

Bladder and urinary tract infections are common causes of smelly urine, particularly in women, who have shorter urethras than men (and thus less distance for bacteria to travel to impact the bladder), says Dr. O’Leary. Unfortunately, this is pretty common. Anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime—and 1 in 4 will experience multiple, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

“Urine should theoretically be a sterile fluid, and the presence of bacteria can affect its odor,” Dr. O’Leary explains. (The bacteria in our digestive tracts contributes to the smell of our stool, too.)

3. …or you have a yeast infection.

Yeast infections, which occur as a result of fungal overgrowth in vagina and vulva, will affect most women at some point in their lives.

Though yeast infections themselves don’t directly cause smelly urine, they can indirectly have an impact on what you smell when you go.

According to Dr. Dune, infection-related bacteria in the vagina can come into contact with your urine while you pee—and the chemical reaction between the two can create a foul smell. Plus, many women might mistake the unusual vaginal odor created by the infection with smelly urine itself.

4. You just drank lots of coffee.

Coffee has a light diuretic effect, meaning it can cause your body to release water, ultimately dehydrating you and contributing to ammonia-like urine, says Dr. Dune.

Plus, the metabolites (aka by-products) produced as your body breaks down coffee may also influence the smell of your urine, Dr. Dune adds. Nothing to be concerned about—as long as you make the effort to hydrate post latte.

5. Garlic and onions were the stars of your meal.

Yep, those pesky (but normal!) metabolites are back again—and messing with the smell of your pee. “Different foods produce different metabolites as we break them down,” says Dr. Dune. Depending on how much of these foods—garlic and onions are two common culprits—you ate, you might notice changes in the smell of your urine.

6. You lack a certain enzyme—and ate some asparagus.

This nutritious vegetable can also affect the smell of some people’s urine (which is often described as rotting cabbage.) “Some people have an enzyme that breaks down compounds in asparagus that can cause smelly urine,” Dr. O’Leary says. People who can break down the smell-inducing compounds in asparagus are called asparagus anosmic.

If you don’t have that enzyme, though, you end up with smelly urine after eating asparagus. According to research published in the British Medical Journal, roughly 40 percent of people notice changes in how their pee smells after eating this veggie.

Bjorn HollandGetty Images

7. It could be a sign of diabetes (or prediabetes).

Changes in how often you urinate—and what’s in that urine—are often the first indicators of diabetes, says Dr. O’Leary.

In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the body’s inability to properly process sugar means some of the sweet stuff (in the form of glucose) ends up in your urine. “Mellitus, the term that characterizes these types of diabetes, literally means sweet-tasting,” Dr. O’Leary says.

Luckily, a quick urine test at the doctor’s office can confirm the presence of glucose in your pee, so you and your doctor can create a treatment plan to regulate your blood sugar. If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes and notice sweet-smelling urine, consider it a sign that your condition is no longer under control—and make an appointment with your physician.

8. You loaded up on vitamins.

We’ve all experienced this one: You take your daily multivitamin (or whatever slew of vitamins and supplements your daily routine involves) and a couple of hours later your urine looks and smells rather terrifying.

Don’t be alarmed: “Multiple vitamins—especially vitamin B6—can affect urine color and odor,” says Dr. Dune. In fact, B vitamins are notorious for turning urine a neon yellow-green color.

9. It’s possible you have an STI.

Certain STIs—particularly chlamydia and trichomoniasis—can lead to painful urination and smelly discharge in both men and women, according to the CDC.

Many women might mistake the abnormal vaginal discharge associated with these sexually-transmitted infections with smelly urine, says Dr. Dune.

Because both chlamydia and trichomoniasis (and other STIs) may not present symptoms, but can have a serious lasting impact on the reproductive system, it’s important to get regular screenings and make an appointment with your doctor at the first sign of concern.

10. Or, you’ve got kidney stones.

Often caused (at least partially) by dehydration, kidney stones form when chemicals in your urine crystalize together. While small stones may pass without you even noticing, larger stones can lead to pain and a slew of other symptoms, including cloudy, foul-smelling, and even bloody urine, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

Since having kidney stones increases risk of developing kidney disease (and dealing with more stones in the future), it’s important to stay well hydrated and work with your doctor to make any lifestyle or dietary adjustments that can reduce risk.

11. It’s a side effect of certain medications.

Those metabolites are back! According to Dr. Dune, certain medications affect the metabolites created in the body or contribute to pH changes in our urine, both of which can affect our pee’s smell. Certain diabetes medications—and a drug called Methenamine, which is used to address chronic UTIs—can have this effect.

ironstealthGetty Images

12. You have a bladder fistula.

Fistulas, openings that form between two organs, often affect the bladder. According to the Urology Care Foundation, fistulas of the bladder often connect the organ to either the bowel or vagina—contributing to a number of issues, including changes in urine odor.

In most cases, bladder fistulas that connect to the bowel are caused by inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, says Dr. O’Leary. However, gynecological and colon cancers, along with recent surgeries, can also cause fistulas.

Since bladder fistulas can allow bacteria from other organs into the bladder, they often manifest as urinary tract infections, urine that looks or smells like stool, and urine that contains gas.

13. A rare metabolic disorder may be the culprit.

Though very uncommon, metabolic disorders (which affect our body’s ability to convert the food we eat into energy), can impact the smell of our urine.

One of the most common is maple syrup urine disease, in which a deficiency in enzymes needed to break down certain amino acids causes sweet-smelling urine, explains Dr. Dune. Luckily, this condition is usually caught and treated in infancy.

Other metabolic disorders, like phenylketonuria (also known as PKU), though, can also influence urine smell. In PKU, a defective gene prevents the breakdown of the amino acid phenylalanine, which builds up and causes musty-smelling breath and urine, among other symptoms, like rashes and even seizures.

❗When to see your doctor about smelly urine

Though stinky pee alone may not always be cause for alarm, strange-smelling urine that’s accompanied by other symptoms may be.

If you’re also noticing cloudy or bloody urine, experience pain during urination, are peeing a lot more or less than usual, or have lower back or abdominal pain, make an appointment with your doctor, says Dr. Dune.

Just a few days of persistent symptoms warrants a visit, says O’Leary. When in doubt, just get it checked out.

Like what you just read? You’ll love our magazine! Go here to subscribe. Don’t miss a thing by downloading Apple News here and following Prevention. Oh, and we’re on Instagram too.

Lauren Del Turco, CPT
Lauren is a freelance writer and editor, an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer, and the Fitness & Wellness Editor of Women’s Health.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Urinary tract infections | Caring for kids

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common in children. The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters (tubes that move urine from kidney to the bladder), bladder, and urethra (a tube connects the bladder to the genitals). An infection can happen anywhere along this tract, but they are most common in the kidneys and bladder. An infection of the bladder is called cystitis, while an infection involving the kidney is called pyelonephritis, or “pyelo”.

Most UTIs are caused by a bacteria called Escherichia coli (E. coli), but there are also other bacteria that can sometimes cause a UTI.

Are some children at higher risk for urinary tract infections?

UTIs are more common in girls than in boys. A girl’s urethra is short so bacteria can easily get into the bladder. Children with a urinary system that is abnormal are also more at risk for a UTI.  

How do I know if my child has a urinary tract infection?

Young infants and children who have a UTI may be irritable or have a fever for no apparent reason.

Older children might also:

• feel pain or a burning sensation when peeing,
• feel a strong urge to pee or need to pee more often than usual, or start having small accidents well after toilet learning is complete,
• have a fever,
• feel pain in the lower back or pain in the belly just below the navel,
• have foul-smelling urine that can look cloudy or have a little blood.

How will my doctor test for a urinary tract infection?

To diagnose a UTI, your doctor will need one or two urine samples to see if there is inflammation or bacteria. Urine collected for bacteria needs to be free of skin or stool contamination. How you provide the sample may depend on your child’s age:

• If you have an infant, a doctor or nurse may use a catheter (small tube inserted into the urethra) so urine can be collected in a sterile bag for testing. This is the best way to test for a UTI.   
• If your child is toilet-trained, they will need to provide a mid-stream urine sample in a sterile cup or jar. “Mid-stream” means that the child pees a little bit and then you collect the urine.

How is a urinary tract infection treated?

UTIs are treated with antibiotics. If your child is younger than 2 years old and has a UTI, your doctor may do additional tests to be sure your child’s urinary tract is working properly.

When should I call the doctor?

Call your doctor if your child:

• is under 6 months old and has a fever,
• is older than 6 months and has had a fever for more than 48 hours,
• is in pain when urinating, or has foul-smelling urine,
• has suddenly started having accidents during the day or at night time after many months of being dry, 
• has blood in the urine, and/or
• has severe stomach or back pain.

How can I prevent my child from getting a urinary tract infection?

• Teach your child to use the toilet when they feels the urge and not to hold it. Urine that is held in the bladder can help bacteria grow. This is also important for bowel movements.
• Children with constipation are more prone to UTIs. If your child has hard stools or painful bowel movements, try to increase the fibre in their diet. If this does not work, speak to your doctor.
• Avoid bubble baths and washing with strong soaps that can cause irritation.

More information from the CPS

Reviewed by the following CPS committees

• Community Paediatrics Committee
• Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee

Last updated: January 2020

Ammonia smell in cloth diapers

What cause ammonia stink? Pee. Well, urine – whatever name you call it. Add time to pee and bacteria (bacteria is everywhere and not avoidable) and you get the smell of ammonia.

Ammonia is made from the breakdown of protein. Our kidneys turn it into urea and we safely pee it out. So, it’s there in the pee in form of urea. When the urine is on the fabric in the diaper pail, (or even on baby overnight), it chemically changes as it breaks down. The result is ammonia stink. Keeping bacteria counts in the diaper down will help keep the overnight stink down, as will breathable covers (wool) since they allow more air and keep the temperature cooler. In the diaper pail, air circulation helps decrease stink (seems counter-intuitive but makes sense).

In the old days, people dunked each diaper in the toilet to rinse it out. This worked really well – before the 1995 toilet regulations began that require new toilets to have low water flushes. Less water in the toilet makes dunking less practical. But now we have diaper sprayers. Yay for sprayers! If you spray out the pee before putting the diaper in the pail – voila! almost no ammonia stink since the pee is mostly gone. Who knew?

Ok, so the ammonia smell is there because pee is there. Now, what to do about it? Well, what is ammonia? pH 7 is neutral. Ammonia is high pH. Acid is low pH. Ammonia is a weak base – high pH. It’s caustic and thus if you have ammoniacal diapers you get an overall red tone to the skin which is a burn, much like sunburn (which is why vitamin E helps that). Vinegar is an acid. The gallon jugs we buy are usually diluted to pH 6 (acidic is a pH lower than neutral 7 – remember science class). What a great word: “ammoniacal”.

To get rid of smell, soak overnight in water and add some vinegar to bring the pH of the water down. This will dilute the stuff stuck in the diapers and it will wash out better. Time + dilution.  Soak in the machine or a place away from baby so that you don’t create a drowning hazard. 

Bacteria can be an issue also. Perhaps a disinfection with oxygen cleaner is enough to take care of the bacteria. Rinse well. What not to do: Some will add vitamin C to water to get the ammonia smell out (which also works to neutralize bleach) and that works but it’s not recommended.  Vitamin C is pH 2 (very acidic!) so that can burn fabric and elastics easily thus we can’t recommend that. It’s too hard to control the pH and too low a pH can acid-destruct washing machine parts and hoses too, so please don’t do that.

Bleaching to fix the ammonia odor from leftover urine? Well, bleaching will help with getting rid of bacteria. I’m suggesting that more dilution and a lower pH of water is a first step. Bleach is high pH. Ammonia is high pH. Detergent is high pH. So bleach on already high pH diapers is just more high pH stuff.  (I don’t mean ammonia the cleaning product – never combine anything with bleach.*)  The fabric can remain high pH.  This is why babies get burned bottoms after bleaching when bleach is not rinsed out enough. After bleaching and rinsing well, rewash with oxygen cleaner or hydrogen peroxide if you are having trouble getting residuall bleach smell out. That neutralizes bleach. But that too is high pH, so then rinse that out too – I digress. Bleach is tough on fabrics too. Detergent is necessarily high pH, so for a tough ammonia smell problem, more high pH stuff is ok but only ~meh~ for a serious ammonia problem.

I’m a fan of using some vinegar and soaking in water.  Water alone is fine if you are worried about the acidity of vinegar.  Give the diapers some time in the water to soak.  Real soaking. Pause the cycle and let it sit for a few hours. I’m also a fan of dunking or spraying off diapers after each use to prolong the fabric’s life expectancy. This usually isn’t needed for a young baby, but for an older baby eating table food who makes stronger pee, it is very helpful. Sometimes it helps to just spray or dunk out particularly strong diapers, such as nap and night diapers. Needs vary.

Dilution is the solution to pollution.

“Stew” does not give you dilution. All that rubbing from grinding the diapers against each other in a stew-consistency wash load can cause premature wear on natural fibers. Proper agitation is of course needed, but enough water is needed too.

Burnt casserole dish? Soak it in water in the sink overnight and what happens? It cleans up much more easily after some time in water! Water is a pretty cool and powerful thing!

Address an ammonia issue with a water soak first and things will wash out more easily. Note that bathtub soaking is a drowning hazard and is never recommended. I know this is quite different than other suggestions online. What is your experience on this? These are my ideas and not rules. What do you think?

*Bleach warning: 

Bleach combined with ammonia creates toxic chloramine gas which can kill you. Don’t do that.

Bleach plus vinegar creates vapors of toxic chloramine and chlorine. These vapors can cause serious chemical burns to your eyes and lungs.  Don’t do that either.

Be safe.  If you must bleach, don’t combinine bleach with anything.  Keep the area well ventilated and the kids far away. 

UTI in Children: Know the Signs

UTIs in children are common and treatable. To prevent complications, call your child’s doctor to get treatment as soon as you notice symptoms.

Related podcast

Learn more about UTIs in children by listening to the Children’s Health Checkup podcast.

Signs your child has a UTI

Urethra infection and bladder infection are the most common forms of UTI in children, but these infections can also affect the ureters and kidneys. If your child has a UTI, you may notice the following symptoms:

• Bedwetting
• Fever (occasionally the only symptom in babies)
• Foul-smelling, cloudy or blood-tinged urine
• Frequent urination, although very little urine may be produced
• Fussiness
• Nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite
• Pain below your child’s belly button
• Pain or burning sensation when your child urinates
• Waking at night to urinate

How are UTIs in children diagnosed?

It’s important to know that UTI symptoms are similar to symptoms of other conditions and infections. Always contact your child’s primary care doctor when symptoms appear. He or she will ask about your child’s symptoms to determine if an examination is necessary.

To confirm a UTI and identify the type of bacteria causing it, the doctor may need a urine sample. Older children will be asked to urinate in a cup at the doctor’s office. To diagnose a baby or young child, the doctor may need to:

• Insert a catheter through his or her urethra and into the bladder to collect urine.
• Collect urine by attaching a bag around his or her genitals, within a diaper, until the child urinates. This method carries a risk of urine contamination by normal skin bacteria.

How is a UTI in children treated?

A UTI in children is commonly treated using antibiotics. The doctor will send your child’s urine sample to the lab, but analysis may take a couple of days. In the meantime, he or she will prescribe your child an antibiotic that treats the most common bacteria that cause UTIs. If your child’s urine culture identifies bacteria that may be causing symptoms, but is not treated by that antibiotic, the doctor may prescribe a new antibiotic.

Be sure to give your child the antibiotic in the prescribed dosage at the prescribed times each day. Your child must finish the full antibiotic course to ensure the infection doesn’t return. You should also encourage your child to drink plenty of water.

With proper treatment of a UTI in children, they should feel better in two to three days. Your doctor may need to perform further tests if your child has repeated infections. It is important to treat your child’s UTI promptly because untreated infections can cause kidney damage or, in rare cases, a bacterial infection of the bloodstream known as sepsis.

What causes a UTI in children?

Bacteria, often the intestinal bacteria E. coli, can easily enter the urinary tract from the skin around the anus. UTIs are more common in girls, especially during potty training, because a girl’s urethra is shorter and closer to the anus. Uncircumcised baby boys also have a slightly elevated risk. Some risk factors for UTI are not preventable, including:

• A structural or functional abnormality in the urinary tract (like a blockage).
• An abnormal backward flow of urine from the bladder up the ureters and toward the kidneys, known as vesicoureteral reflux, which is very common in kids with UTIs.

In some cases, additional tests such as ultrasound or bladder x-rays may be recommended to look for these conditions and to determine the most effective treatment.

How can UTIs be prevented in kids?

Following these tips may prevent symptoms of UTI in children.

• Encourage your child to use the bathroom when he or she has to go, rather than holding it.
• Teach your child how to properly wipe, front to back, after going to the bathroom.
• Buy your potty-trained child cotton underwear, which allows the area to dry properly.
• Dress your child in loose-fitting clothes, because tight clothes can trap moisture.
• Make sure your child drinks enough fluids each day, preferably water. Ask your doctor how many ounces your child needs. Babies consume what they need through breastmilk or formula.

With proper treatment of a UTI, most kids will feel better in a couple days. Learn signs, symptoms and how to treat UTI in kids from @Childrens.

Sign Up

Stay current on the health insights that make a difference to your children. Sign up for the Children’s Health newsletter and have more tips sent directly to your inbox.

90,000 Possible causes of odor, symptoms and solutions

A sharp and unpleasant smell of urine in your baby can be a signal for urgent medical attention. The cause of such an unpleasant situation can be natural reasons, for example, the introduction of new products into the diet. However, it is best to diagnose and prevent the development of a possible disease with medication, if necessary. For many diseases of the internal organs, an unpleasant odor in the baby’s urine is characteristic.

How baby’s urine should smell

People often wonder why baby’s urine smells so strong. In a healthy young child, it should be free of impurities, without a specific and pungent smell. A few months after birth, the baby is introduced to complementary foods, as a result of which a mild, unobtrusive smell appears in the urine. Urine in bottle-fed babies usually has a stronger odor compared to babies who feed on mother’s milk.

Parents should constantly observe how their child’s urine smells. This is especially important until the baby has reached a conscious age and cannot report his health problems himself.

The smell of children’s urine is a kind of indicator of the state of the child’s internal organs and the functioning of the body as a whole. That is why, in case of any change in the color of urine or the appearance of an unpleasant odor, you should consult your doctor for advice. This will help keep the baby healthy and prevent the development of an infectious disease.

The reasons for the change in the smell of urine

To answer the question of why a child has a strong urine smell, you should know that in children who have reached 12 years of age, the smell of urine changes dramatically. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the change in the work of the endocrine glands. The restructuring of the hormonal background in adolescence strongly affects the vital activity of the body, including the urinary system. Physical fatigue can also be the cause of the unpleasant odor. If the unpleasant odor from the urethra is similar to ammonia and acetone, then the child should be taken to a specialist in urology.

The baby’s urine also smells strongly due to some natural reason, for example, as a result of a rare change of diapers and diapers. In addition to the occurrence of odor, non-observance of basic hygiene can lead to more serious consequences, namely, provoke hives, diaper rash, dermatitis and unpleasant allergic reactions.

Factors affecting the smell of urine

Often parents ask themselves why the child’s urine began to smell of foreign odors.The following factors can provoke this:

• Changing the baby’s diet. With age, the infant is introduced to new foods, such as vegetables and fruits, which have their own specific aromas. They can greatly affect the smell of urine, making it more pronounced, sometimes even pungent.
• Dehydration of the body. It is very important for your baby to drink enough fluids. Depletion of the body can occur as a result of acute food poisoning or poisons.As a result of intoxication, the body secretes a large amount of not always pleasantly smelling liquid.
• Lack of vitamin D. Usually, such a useful element in the body is not enough if the child spends little time on the street. Sometimes this leads to the development of rickets. One of the symptoms of this disease is the pungent smell of the liquid that is excreted by the urogenital organs. Also, a lack of vitamin D leads to decreased appetite, increased sweating and poor hair growth.
• Taking strong medicines and antibiotics.Antiviral drugs are partially or completely eliminated through the genitourinary system, giving the urine a specific odor. After the course of drug treatment is completed, all indicators return to normal.
• Breastfeeding. In this case, the smell of urine may be associated with a change in the mother’s diet. White cabbage and asparagus can significantly change the smell of urine.
• Colds. With rhinitis, acute respiratory viral infections and bronchitis, urine always begins to emit an unpleasant odor.The body is exhausted as a result of the fight against infection. After complete recovery, the smell of urine disappears completely.
• Hepatitis. An unpleasant odor and dark color of urine is a symptom of this serious illness.
• Diabetes mellitus. Patients with this ailment usually have colorless urine. The frequency of going to the toilet is increasing. Urine has an ammoniacal or vinegar odor.
• Pyelonephritis or cystitis. With such diseases, urine sometimes changes its smell dramatically.

Ammonia odor

Mothers often wonder why their baby smells like urine.Many doctors by smell can guess what disease the little patient is suffering from. For example, if an ammoniacal odor is noticed, then, most likely, this is a pronounced sign of a malfunction of the urinary tract. This disease occurs as a result of malfunctioning of the endocrine glands. In the blood, and then in the urine, a large number of ketone bodies are formed. Most likely, the patient suffers from diabetes mellitus or acetonemia. Typical symptoms of the disease are: a child’s complaints of thirst, pain when urinating, dry skin and a sharp loss of body weight.If the above signs are absent, but the child’s urine is dark in color when urinating, then this means that a focus of infection has appeared in the urinary system. To get rid of the disease, you will need to undergo antibiotic treatment.

The smell of acetone

If your child’s urine smells like acetone, this may be due to the baby’s excessive mobility. Under heavy loads, ketones are formed in urine, which cause such an unpleasant odor. In this case, no treatment is required.To get rid of the smell, you just need to adjust the child’s day regimen so that the baby does not get overexcited during the day. Sometimes the cause of the acetone smell can be caused by stress caused by various reasons (divorce or constant quarrels between parents, change of housing or the environment in the playroom). Sometimes the child may need the help of a psychologist.

The smell of burnt sugar

If your child’s urine smells like burnt sugar after urinating, this could be a sign of a disease called leucinosis (branched chain ketonuria).This ailment arises as a result of a genetic predisposition and manifests itself from the first days of a baby’s life. The system responsible for the production of enzymes decreases its activity. Amino acids inside the body are not oxidized, resulting in the characteristic odor of urine. As a treatment, rather long-term medication is required.

Other odors and possible causes

If your child’s urine smells like fish, this indicates a genetic disorder.The smell can be emitted not only by urine, but also by the child’s sweat, and even exhaled air.

A pronounced mouse smell most likely means a congenital disorder called phenylketonuria. One of the signs of the disease is the accumulation of amino acids and metabolic products in the urinary tract. If you do not see a doctor in time, the disease can damage the nervous system.

How to identify diseases of the urinary system

Often urine smells in a child as a result of kidney and bladder disease.One of the most common causes of pathology is inflammatory processes inside the body. Fighting against pathogenic organisms, human immunity secretes leukocytes to fight the disease. Due to the fact that the immune system has not yet developed in children, the disease may continue to progress. You can understand that the child’s body cannot cope with pathogenic organisms by the following symptoms:

1. A sick person rarely visits the toilet.
2. The urine is cloudy and sometimes mixed with blood clots.May have curd sediment.
3. Urination is accompanied by pain in the abdomen and in the lumbar region, and pain in the genitals is also felt.

What to do to avoid odor

“Why does my baby smell like urine?” – this is one of the most common questions among young mothers. If the smell of urine in your baby has changed, has become sharp and unpleasant, then you should not be afraid and diagnose him. If the next day everything returned to normal, then the reason for this phenomenon, most likely, was overwork or a new product in his diet.If the smell persists from day to day after each trip to the toilet, then you should consult a pediatrician. The medical institution must take a urine test to find out the content of the following substances:

• uric acid; 90,024 90,023 ketones; 90,024 90,023 leukocytes;
• proteins.

If a child has inflammation in the organs responsible for urination, then it is necessary to inoculate a biological sample into a nutrient medium. Then, by the number of colonies formed, the doctor can draw a conclusion about the presence or absence of infectious foci.Also, when a pungent odor appears in urine, a blood test is prescribed for the presence of sugar in the body.

Prevention of diseases

To avoid problems with urination in a child, it is necessary to give him clean water. Sugary drinks should be completely removed from the diet. If you have a high body temperature and with severe vomiting, it is recommended to drink special saline solutions, they can be found in pharmacies. Children often refuse such medications. In this case, the child should be given a tablespoon of treatment solution every 20 minutes.After recovery, the smell of urine and the general condition of the body should return to normal.

As a preventive measure, doctors recommend protecting your child from emotional shocks and heavy physical exertion. To keep the child healthy, you should strictly adhere to the diet and drink plenty of fluids, especially in the heat.

How to detect and deal with ketonuria

If your baby has ketonuria, experts recommend giving a drink with a low sugar content. It can be fruit juices or just sugar and water.To detect this disease, special test strips can be purchased at any pharmacy, which should be soaked in the child’s urine. If the child has ketonuria, the indicator strip will be colored.

Bad urine odor – symptoms and treatment in adults. MC “Health” in Moscow, Southern Administrative District (Warsaw and Annino), Central Administrative District (Krasnopresnenskaya and Rizhskaya).

An unpleasant smell of urine almost always indicates the presence of any pathology that affects the internal organs or the genitourinary system.

Why is there an unpleasant odor in urine?

Normal urine can smell like ammonia, but only after standing for a long time. An unpleasant odor is caused by:

• Kidney inflammation . Changes in urine in this case are accompanied by pain in the lower back
• Cystitis . Additionally, the patient complains of cutting pain in the bladder area, and the urine is very cloudy relative to the norm
• Urethritis .Is accompanied by bloody discharge and pus in the urine
• Diabetes . Characterized by an unusual “apple” smell

The most alarming symptom is the pungent ammonia smell of “fresh” urine that has just come out. It always indicates the presence of an inflammatory process that develops in many dangerous diseases.

If the urine smells like something putrid or feces, this is a clear sign of a purulent process in the urinary organs.They are accompanied, in particular, by genital infections. Separately, it is worth noting the unpleasant odor that occurs after intercourse – it is provoked by a violation of the microflora in the genitals.

What to do if urine smells unpleasant?

Any change in the smell or color of urine is a clear reason for contacting a urologist. Yes, some symptoms can be triggered by completely harmless factors (for example, the use of salty and fatty foods), but if they persist for at least a day, it’s time to sound the alarm.

Tactful and qualified professionals work in the network of MC “Health” who will help you quickly determine the cause of the problem and eliminate it. We will do our best to restore your normal quality of life.

>

Tashkent Clinics, Dentistry, Obstetrics, Allergology, Andrology, Anesthesiology, Venereology

Why is there a strong smell of urine in men?

The change in the organoleptic properties of urine is the first thing that is noticeable to the naked eye, and can be determined by the patient himself.But, answering the question why urine smells strong, you need to determine the reasons for this phenomenon. The presence of a noticeable pronounced miasm in a waste product does not always indicate the presence of pathological processes. As you know, urine is the end product of metabolism, and its external characteristics can temporarily change due to the peculiarities of nutrition, hormonal status and lifestyle of a particular person.

In what situations, a change in the usual aroma of urine is not regarded as a sign of pathology: When increased physical activity or hot weather leads to increased sweating, and an insufficient volume of fluid entering the body causes manifestations of dehydration.One of its features can be called the characteristic type of excreted urine. At the same time, urination is rare, the volume of the effluent is scanty and has a concentrated appearance: saturated color and urine smells strongly.

When certain types of products are used in food, capable of giving the secreted liquid a characteristic sharp iron. These include coffee, beer, asparagus, garlic.

When drugs of the vitamin group or of the enzyme series are used to treat the underlying disease.Most of them impart a specific, sharp, acid miasm to the waste product, which is warned about in the annotation to the drug.

Advice: if, after twenty-four hours after completing the course of treatment, returning to a normal diet, normalizing the drinking regimen and good rest, undesirable symptoms persist in the urine, then the presence of the disease can be considered the cause of their appearance.

What diseases affect the smell of urine?

The process of formation of urinary stones in any part of the urinary system: the bladder, renal pelvis, ureters.Exacerbation of the disease, manifested by the movement of calculi along the urinary tract, causes severe pain and palpable ammonia fetor in urine, which persists for a long time.

Inflammatory reactions in the mucous layer of the urinary tract, as well as in the parenchymal part of the kidneys, are able to give the secreted fluid an unpleasant, putrid amber, combined with other negative visual changes.

Genetically determined metabolic disorders (leucinosis).One of the characteristic manifestations of this pathology is a special aroma of the secreted liquid, similar to maple syrup. This pathology belongs to the category of congenital and has no specific treatment. To combat it, only symptomatic or palliative therapy is available.

Lack of liver function. In almost all variants, it is manifested by visual changes in the organoleptic characteristics of the product of vital activity. The liver has a detoxifying duty.When the work of hepatocytes is disrupted, the final substances of metabolism are not fully inactivated, eventually accumulating in the blood. Passing through the renal filter system, some of them enter the urine, giving it an unpleasant iron.

Ketoacidosis is a complication of type 2 diabetes. Due to the violation of carbohydrate-fat metabolism, one to two hours after eating, and in the morning, urine acquires a pronounced acid-base iron.This is a signal that the dose of the corrective drug has been chosen incorrectly. An unpleasant symptom will disappear with an increase in the dosage of antihyperglycemic agents.

If the urine of men smells like ammonia, then this is a sign of insufficient production of the liver enzyme responsible for the utilization of this substance. On the other hand, a similar transformation of the urine odor occurs in the background:

Preferential use of protein foods,

Inadequate drinking regime,

Prolonged urine retention,

Exceeding the recommended dosage when using iron and calcium preparations.

The appearance of “mouse” amber is caused by a change in the qualitative composition of the secreted fluid against the background of a violation of amino acid metabolism. At the same time, the delay in the tissues of phenelin contributes to the development of the pathology of the central nervous system, and the characteristic miasm of secretions appears in babies immediately after birth.

Why does the urine have an unpleasant fish smell? This may be a manifestation of a serious genetic disorder in the breakdown of trimelamine, due to enzymatic liver failure.Such a change in the waste product can be provoked: weakness of the immune system, infectious and inflammatory phenomena of the urinary sphere, diseases with a sexual mode of transmission.

With an increased content of sulfur in the body, the secreted fluid acquires a miasm of rotten eggs. This is due to the increased consumption of foods containing sulfin. The compound accumulates, and then it is excreted with urine.

Unpleasant “cat” felt to waste products can be transmitted due to impaired breakdown of lecithin, which is characteristic of the pathological state of B-Methylcrotonylglycinuria.

What should you be afraid of?

Changes in the natural smell of urine in men can occur both independently and in combination with other negative symptoms. You need to know them because such a condition requires compulsory medical examination and treatment.

Should cause concern:

Decreased interest in food,

Excessive Unreasonable Thirst,

Sexual dysfunction,

Obvious swelling of the face and limbs,

Burning sensation accompanying completion of urination,

Lower back pain,

The appearance of erosions and ulcers on the genitals,

Turbidity of urine, the presence of sediment and flakes in it.

According to the laws of nature, the urine of men has a more pronounced specific smell. This is due to the high content of sex hormones in their secretions. A temporary increase in amber is caused by beer consumption and physical activity. If the negative change is stable and persists for a long time, especially if it is combined with other pathological signs, then such a phenomenon requires a medical examination.

For questions, please call + (998 71) 140-03-03, + (998 71) 140-01-60 and at Chilanzar, 12th quarter, st. M. Shaikhzoda, 7.

90,000 pungent urine – 25 recommendations on Babyblog.ru

Many people have heard of diabetes mellitus as a disease that mainly affects adults. However, this diabetes mellitus occurs in children and most often, they inherit it from their parents or grandparents.

Most often, diabetes mellitus develops in children who are at risk, that is, their family members already have this disease

Diabetes mellitus – hereditary disease

Doctors say that it is precisely such children who are at high risk that it is necessary to protect from birth from everything that can suddenly provoke the development of the disease, that is, from overeating, an excess of flour and confectionery products, pears, sweet apples in the diet. and grapes.It is these foods that overload the pancreas in the child’s body. Also, viral diseases that affect the cells of the pancreas can also provoke diabetes in children. First of all, these are rubella, mumps and other enteroviral diseases. Moreover, severe stress experienced by the child, constant worries about conflicts in the family, in kindergarten or school, as well as a bruised abdomen – all this can contribute to the fact that a child at risk of developing diabetes symptoms.

Fatigue, decreased physical and mental activity, constant thirst and increased urination are the main signs of diabetes

The main signs of diabetes mellitus in children

Doctors identify several signs of diabetes in children:

• Severe weight loss;
• Constant thirst for water when a child asks for water not only during the day, but also wakes up at night to drink water;
• Increased amount of urine excreted.The urine in this case does not have any odor or color, and babies on the diaper after it dries, you can see “starch stains”.

Often this happens already in a more severe form of diabetes mellitus, that the child has an excessively increased appetite due to a lack of glucose in the cells, and there is also a decrease in appetite as a result of poisoning by the same metabolic products. Parents can immediately pay attention to the fact that their child becomes lethargic, tired, he has reduced physical and mental activity, impaired vision, skin itching and a pungent smell from the mouth with a taste of a rotten apple, and slow healing of wounds and scratches on the skin is observed …

In some children, sudden onset of purulent skin lesions, inflammation of the gums and external genital organs, manifestations of fatty plaques on the feet and hands, enlargement of the liver, which, when palpated, causes pain to the child, may become a sign of the development of diabetes mellitus. In this case, parents should immediately seek medical attention.

It is possible to identify the disease using blood and urine tests for the level of sugar in them

Diagnosis can only be made by a doctor

To determine if a child has diabetes, the doctor must evaluate the results of blood and urine sugar tests.Further, if the preliminary suspicions are confirmed and the diagnosis is established, the child needs to follow a strict diet, dosed physical activity and insulin treatment as indicated by a doctor.

• Children with diabetes require a strict diet and appropriate treatment, which can only be prescribed by a doctor

90,000 Diabetes mellitus is an insidious disease with a sweet name, but with a pungent smell of acetone

In critical condition to the specialists of the Kuzbass clinical hospital named afterS.V. Belyaeva, a 5-year-old girl was admitted. The parents decided that frequent vomiting, the child’s complaints of nausea and headache were common food poisoning and tried to solve the problem on their own. A few days later, the condition worsened, the baby was urgently brought to the hospital at the place of residence, from where, by medical aviation, she was redirected to the intensive care unit of the Belyaev hospital.

“The girl was admitted in a serious condition, for several days the doctors fought in the literal sense of the word for her life.Now the situation has stabilized, the child feels well and continues treatment already in the therapeutic department, where he and his mother will learn to live with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus ” – comments Alexander Golomidov, deputy chief physician for pediatric care at Kuzbass Clinical Hospital Alexander Golomidov .

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that can manifest itself at any time. Stress, severe cold can “start” the sore. Children with a genetic predisposition are more likely to face a lifelong diagnosis (there are people with this diagnosis among relatives).

It is possible to determine that your child has health problems by several signs: the child is more thirsty, goes to the toilet more often than usual (including at night), he has a smell of acetone from his mouth, which can still resemble the smell of baked apples. If a child quickly loses weight, while eating well, then parents should rather not rejoice in a good metabolism, but urgently take him to an endocrinologist.

“If you ignore the baby’s foul odor, a life-threatening condition such as ketoacidosis can develop.When a child develops diabetes, there is a deficiency of insulin, a hormone that is needed to metabolize glucose, our main source of energy. If you can’t use glucose, but the body needs to live, then it begins to take energy from fats. Fats are broken down to ketones, their concentration in the blood becomes too high. And as a result, instead of energy, we get the strongest poison that destroys the child’s body. The first signs that ketoacidosis has begun, in addition to the smell of acetone, are vomiting, nausea, severe abdominal pain, ” – says Galina Polenchik, a doctor of the specialized pediatric department of the Kuzbass Clinical Hospital Galina Polenchik .

Lost time threatens with serious complications, including glycemic coma.

Photo from open sources.

What diseases can be identified by the smell of sweat: December 09, 2020, 08:48

What diseases can be identified by the smell of sweat, the Almaty doctor told, Tengrinews.kz correspondent reports.

According to otolaryngologist Zlata Paruchikova, the smell of sweat and the intensity of its secretion reflect the functions of hormones, the digestive system and other organs.⁣⁣⠀

“Sweating is the most important mechanism of human thermoregulation, sweating also occurs in response to emotions and stress. ⁣⁣ The nervous system, hormones of the thyroid gland, hypothalamus, gonads regulate sweating. ⁣⁣ You won’t believe, but the sweat of a healthy person does not smell.

Individual body odor is unique, it is provided by pheromones and a special composition of your skin bacteria, in fact, an unpleasant odor appears due to their excessive vital activity.And if you do not watch your body, then the result of this vital activity is heard by everyone around, “says the doctor.
⁣⁣⠀

A change in the smell of sweat can signal about health problems , shares Zlata Paruchikova.

• acetone odor – diabetes mellitus; ⁣ ⠀
• rotten smell (rotten eggs, hydrogen sulfide) – problems with the stomach, intestines; ⁣⁣ ⠀
• sour odor (acetic) – vitamin D deficiency, tuberculosis; ⁣⁣ ⠀
• ammonia odor (cat odor) – kidney pathology, Helicobacter pylori in the stomach.⁣⁣⠀
• fishy smell or chlorine smell – liver problems; ⁣⁣ ⠀
• mouse smell, “old age smell” – phenylketonuria, metabolic disorders; ⁣⁣ ⠀
• the smell of whey is gout “, says Zlata Paruchikova. ⠀

In addition to the very smell of sweat, according to the doctor, it is worth paying attention to its amount.

⁣ “ Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, occurs with high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, climacteric syndrome.⁣⁣⠀
Nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, stress also stimulate hyperhidrosis, ”she shares.

However, the reasons for the change in the smell and amount of sweat can be physiological, soothes Zlata Paruchikova. For example, puberty and pregnancy. Food preferences can also be influenced.

“ Condiments , hot peppers, curries, garlic, onions, mustard, horseradish, beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli can smell bad in sweat.

⁣⁣Another reason: wearing synthetics blocks the flow of air and natural evaporation of sweat from the surface of the body, creating a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria, and an unpleasant smell will not take long.Also, the reason may be the use of drugs, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, antibiotics, antihypertensive drugs – they cause a change in the smell of sweat. ⁣⁣And importantly, these are bad habits, especially excessive alcohol consumption, it does not change the composition of sweat for the better, “the doctor concludes.
⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⠀

The most important news with photos and videos! We deliver directly to your phone. Subscribe to the Tengrinews.kz Telegram channel!

90,000 reasons for the smell of ammonia, stale fish

In a newborn baby, urine does not have any smell, but with age it becomes more like an adult’s urine and acquires a smell.Parents should know which one is normal and when to be alert.

What should be the norm?

The smell of a child’s urine is normally quite specific, but not harsh. That is why the appearance of a very pronounced or unpleasant odor always causes the thought of a disease in a baby. Such changes cannot be ignored, although it happens that the child is completely healthy.

Smells like ammonia

The appearance of such a smell indicates a violation of the baby’s health. First of all, it is necessary to exclude the presence of diabetes mellitus and acetonemia. With diabetes, urine can acquire not only an ammonia smell, but resemble apple cider vinegar or ammonia. In this case, the child will also have other signs of the disease, for example, increased thirst, weight loss, dry skin, urinary frequency disorders, and others.It can also appear with a urinary tract infection.

Acetone smell

The appearance of the acetone odor indicates an increased excretion of ketone bodies in the child’s urine, which happens when there is a large amount of ketones in the blood. An increase in the level of acetone in the blood is due to various factors, including emotional or physical stress. If your child has already had cases of acetone, you should make sure that the baby does not have prolonged hunger or overwork.When the child is tired, give him sweet foods to prevent ketones from forming.

Smells like stale fish

The appearance of an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotten fish, is characteristic of trimethylaminuria. This is a genetic disorder in which trimethylamine accumulates in the body, causing the smell of fishy urine, sweat, exhaled air and human skin.

With other genetic pathologies, the smell of urine also becomes unpleasant and begins to resemble mold or mice (indicates phenylketonuria), burnt sugar (happens with leucinosis), cabbage (noted for tyrosinemia).

Possible causes

The following factors lead to a change in the smell of the child’s urine:

1. Change in the water balance. A child may drink too little or lose fluids, for example, through vomiting or in hot weather with sweat. Difficulty in nasal breathing may also be the cause.
2. Diet changes. The urine of a starving child has an unpleasant smell, as well as of a baby whose menu contains too much fast food, sweet foods, fatty protein dishes, seafood, and spicy foods. It can also change if the child ate horseradish, garlic, asparagus or cabbage. In a nursing baby, a new complementary food product or a new formula, as well as a change in the diet of a nursing mother, can affect.
3. Disorders of metabolic processes caused by genetic pathologies.
4. Taking antibiotics and other medicines.
5. Poor diaper or stale linen. In this case, the smell will be unpleasant in the morning.
6. Rickets. It causes a change in the smell of urine in a baby under one year old, and also manifests itself in sweating of the palms, poor appetite, disturbed sleep and other symptoms of a lack of vitamin D.
7. Hormonal changes during adolescent hormonal changes. This is a temporary phenomenon, but it is important for parents to teach their teenager about body care and hygiene.
8. Infectious diseases of the excretory system. An unpleasant odor appears with cystitis, as well as with urethritis, pyelonephritis and other inflammations.
9. Diabetes mellitus. Urine with such a disease is excreted in large quantities, while it gives off ammonia.
10. Liver diseases. Not only does it become unpleasant smelling, but it also becomes dark in color.

What to do?

A one-time change in odor does not require any action, especially if the parents notice the influence of nutrition. If a strong smell of urine appears within a few days, you should consult a pediatrician and take the child’s blood and urine for analysis.When the smell of ammonia appears, it is imperative to determine the sugar in the baby’s blood.

If you suspect the presence of acetone in your urine, you can verify this at home using special test strips. In case of a positive reaction to acetone, the first step is to give the child glucose. You can give your baby glucose to drink from an ampoule or chew glucose tablets, and make a decoction of raisins or warm tea with honey for the baby.

If you associate the situation with dehydration, it is important to give your child more drink.This is especially important in the presence of diarrhea or vomiting, as well as in diseases with a high body temperature. In these cases, it is extremely important to avoid large waste of fluid, and everything will return to normal by itself.

.