7 Common Causes of Cloudy Urine

Written by Stephanie Watson

Medically Reviewed by Murtaza Cassoobhoy, MD on May 28, 2023

• Urinary Tract Infection
• Dehydration
• Kidney Stones
• Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)
• Retrograde Ejaculation
• Blood in the Urine
• Prostate Problems
• More

If you notice that your urine looks cloudy instead of its usual clear, yellowish color, it could be due to infections, kidney stones, or other changes in your health. Sometimes pain or other symptoms go along with it. The sooner you learn the cause, the quicker you can get the treatment you need.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) happens when bacteria get into your bladder, kidneys, or urethra. That’s where urine comes out. Along with cloudy urine, you’ll notice symptoms like:

• Burning or pain when you pee
• A need to go more often than usual
• Leaking urine
• Smelly or bloody urine
• Pain in your lower belly

Your doctor will likely suggest antibiotics to clear up the infection. Finish all the pills that they prescribe to make sure all the bacteria get killed.

Call your doctor if you:

• Get a fever higher than 100.5 F
• Have chills
• Feel pain in your lower belly or flank
• Are nauseated or throwing up

Your urine can turn cloudy when you don’t drink enough. A lack of fluid makes urine more concentrated. It will also turn a darker color.

You can solve this problem by drinking more water every day. When you get enough fluids, your urine will be clear and light yellow in color.

Call your doctor if you:

• Feel dizzy or faint
• Get confused
• Have a fast heartbeat
• Are breathing hard

Kidney stones are crystals that form in your kidneys out of minerals and salts in your urine. Large stones can make urine back up in your bladder or another part of your urinary tract. They can cause pain, sometimes severe. You might hurt on your side and lower back, or when you pee.

Your urine could get cloudy or have blood in it. It could also be smelly or look red, pink, or brown.

Some other symptoms you might have are:

• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting

Some kidney stones come out on their own in your urine. Doctors can do a noninvasive procedure to break up stones that are too big to pass through urine. Sometimes, people need surgery to remove stones.

Call your doctor if you:

• Have severe pain in your back or side
• Feel nauseated or throw up
• Have to go all the time
• Have a burning sensation when you pee
• Notice urine that is pink or red

STIs are viral or bacterial infections you catch from a partner during sex. Infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea cause a milky discharge from the penis or vagina that can turn the urine cloudy.

Other signs that you have an STI are:

• Green, yellow, or bloody discharge from the penis or vagina
• Pain or burning when you pee or have sex
• Itching around the penis or vagina

Call your doctor if you have symptoms of an STI. Antibiotics can cure infections caused by bacteria. If a virus caused your STI, medicines can treat the symptoms.

Normally when a man has an orgasm, semen travels out of their body through their penis. In retrograde ejaculation, semen backs up into the bladder. This causes a dry orgasm without any fluid. The urine is cloudy right after an orgasm because it contains semen.

Retrograde ejaculation happens when the muscle at the opening of the bladder doesn’t close tightly enough. Nerve problems from diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), or medicines are possible causes.

You may not need treatment for this condition unless you want to start a family and you can’t get your partner pregnant. Your doctor can suggest medicines to keep your bladder closed during sex.

Call your doctor if little or no semen comes out when you have an orgasm and you want to have a child.

Cloudiness is sometimes due to blood in the urine. Blood can stain the yellow urine red, pink, or brown.

Blood in your urine could mean you have a UTI, kidney stones, or an enlarged prostate. Rarely, it can be a sign of cancer in your urinary tract. See your doctor to get this symptom checked out.

Call your doctor if your urine looks red or pink, especially if you also have pain, fever, or other symptoms.

The prostate gland adds fluid to sperm in men. This gland wraps around the urethra, the tube that urine travels through as it moves out of the body.

Any swelling of the prostate can block the flow of urine. Blood or debris can then build up in the trapped urine and turn it cloudy.

When urine is cloudy due to prostate problems, you might also have symptoms like:

• Pain or burning when you pee
• Dribbling or trouble starting to urinate
• An urgent need to go, or frequent urination
• Blood in the urine
• Pain when you ejaculate
• Fever and chills

Your treatment depends on what’s causing the problem. You may get medicines to treat an infection or to shrink your swollen prostate.

Call your doctor if:

• You have to pee all the time
• You get up during the night to pee
• When you pee, urine dribbles out
• You see blood in your pee or semen
• It hurts when you pee or have an orgasm
• You have pain in your lower back, hips, groin, or upper thighs

Top Picks

7 Common Causes of Cloudy Urine

Written by Stephanie Watson

Medically Reviewed by Murtaza Cassoobhoy, MD on May 28, 2023

• Urinary Tract Infection
• Dehydration
• Kidney Stones
• Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)
• Retrograde Ejaculation
• Blood in the Urine
• Prostate Problems
• More

If you notice that your urine looks cloudy instead of its usual clear, yellowish color, it could be due to infections, kidney stones, or other changes in your health. Sometimes pain or other symptoms go along with it. The sooner you learn the cause, the quicker you can get the treatment you need.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) happens when bacteria get into your bladder, kidneys, or urethra. That’s where urine comes out. Along with cloudy urine, you’ll notice symptoms like:

• Burning or pain when you pee
• A need to go more often than usual
• Leaking urine
• Smelly or bloody urine
• Pain in your lower belly

Your doctor will likely suggest antibiotics to clear up the infection. Finish all the pills that they prescribe to make sure all the bacteria get killed.

Call your doctor if you:

• Get a fever higher than 100.5 F
• Have chills
• Feel pain in your lower belly or flank
• Are nauseated or throwing up

Your urine can turn cloudy when you don’t drink enough. A lack of fluid makes urine more concentrated. It will also turn a darker color.

You can solve this problem by drinking more water every day. When you get enough fluids, your urine will be clear and light yellow in color.

Call your doctor if you:

• Feel dizzy or faint
• Get confused
• Have a fast heartbeat
• Are breathing hard

Kidney stones are crystals that form in your kidneys out of minerals and salts in your urine. Large stones can make urine back up in your bladder or another part of your urinary tract. They can cause pain, sometimes severe. You might hurt on your side and lower back, or when you pee.

Your urine could get cloudy or have blood in it. It could also be smelly or look red, pink, or brown.

Some other symptoms you might have are:

• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting

Some kidney stones come out on their own in your urine. Doctors can do a noninvasive procedure to break up stones that are too big to pass through urine. Sometimes, people need surgery to remove stones.

Call your doctor if you:

• Have severe pain in your back or side
• Feel nauseated or throw up
• Have to go all the time
• Have a burning sensation when you pee
• Notice urine that is pink or red

STIs are viral or bacterial infections you catch from a partner during sex. Infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea cause a milky discharge from the penis or vagina that can turn the urine cloudy.

Other signs that you have an STI are:

• Green, yellow, or bloody discharge from the penis or vagina
• Pain or burning when you pee or have sex
• Itching around the penis or vagina

Call your doctor if you have symptoms of an STI. Antibiotics can cure infections caused by bacteria. If a virus caused your STI, medicines can treat the symptoms.

Normally when a man has an orgasm, semen travels out of their body through their penis. In retrograde ejaculation, semen backs up into the bladder. This causes a dry orgasm without any fluid. The urine is cloudy right after an orgasm because it contains semen.

Retrograde ejaculation happens when the muscle at the opening of the bladder doesn’t close tightly enough. Nerve problems from diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), or medicines are possible causes.

You may not need treatment for this condition unless you want to start a family and you can’t get your partner pregnant. Your doctor can suggest medicines to keep your bladder closed during sex.

Call your doctor if little or no semen comes out when you have an orgasm and you want to have a child.

Cloudiness is sometimes due to blood in the urine. Blood can stain the yellow urine red, pink, or brown.

Blood in your urine could mean you have a UTI, kidney stones, or an enlarged prostate. Rarely, it can be a sign of cancer in your urinary tract. See your doctor to get this symptom checked out.

Call your doctor if your urine looks red or pink, especially if you also have pain, fever, or other symptoms.

The prostate gland adds fluid to sperm in men. This gland wraps around the urethra, the tube that urine travels through as it moves out of the body.

Any swelling of the prostate can block the flow of urine. Blood or debris can then build up in the trapped urine and turn it cloudy.

When urine is cloudy due to prostate problems, you might also have symptoms like:

• Pain or burning when you pee
• Dribbling or trouble starting to urinate
• An urgent need to go, or frequent urination
• Blood in the urine
• Pain when you ejaculate
• Fever and chills

Your treatment depends on what’s causing the problem. You may get medicines to treat an infection or to shrink your swollen prostate.

Call your doctor if:

• You have to pee all the time
• You get up during the night to pee
• When you pee, urine dribbles out
• You see blood in your pee or semen
• It hurts when you pee or have an orgasm
• You have pain in your lower back, hips, groin, or upper thighs

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Turbid urine – what could it be?

Medicine

“Agave”
| 12/18/2020

Turbidity, cloudy urine, sediment, and small flakes may indicate a health problem. But cloudy urine can also be related to certain foods you’ve recently eaten. How to interpret this symptom?

In general, if this is a single event, there is nothing to worry about, but if cloudy urine is constantly excreted, it can be caused by many different diseases, from relatively mild to severe. These conditions may include dehydration, inflammation of the urinary tract, sexually transmitted infections, kidney stones, diabetes, and other problems.

Sometimes cloudiness and discoloration indicate an increase in protein, crystals, blood, pus, or irritating chemicals in the urine. Health care professionals use other terms to describe cloudy urine. They may use words such as milky, frothy, or cloudy white urine, or the term albinuria (protein in the urine). Dehydration: especially risky in young and old Many people know that dark-colored urine is a sign of dehydration, but cloudy urine can also indicate that you are not getting enough clean water. It is especially dangerous for young children and the elderly to become dehydrated in hot weather or when they are sick. People are also at increased risk of dehydration if they have recently had vigorous exercise, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. In addition to cloudy urine, other signs of dehydration may accompany:

• dark urine;
• very infrequent urination;
• fatigue;
• intense thirst;
• confusion;
• dizziness or disorientation in space.

If a person has severe diarrhea, confusion, vomiting, bloody or black stools, an ambulance should be called immediately. Delay is dangerous! Mild to moderate dehydration is treated with large volumes of fluids, such as clean bottled still water. But severe dehydration may require treatment, in which intravenous fluids are given in a doctor’s office or emergency room in addition to oral rehydration.

Urinary tract infections

An increased amount of cloudy urine with impurities of blood or pus often occurs in the presence of a urinary tract infection (UTI). This can happen to both men and women. An excess of white blood cells used by the body to fight a urinary tract infection can also make urine cloudy or milky white. Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria enter the urethra and enter the bladder. Women have a higher risk of developing a UTI than men. In addition to cloudy urine, signs of a UTI may include:

• pelvic pain;
• constant desire to urinate;
• burning during urination;
• excretion of a small amount of urine at a time;
• bad smell from urine.

Most UTIs are treated with a course of antibiotics over several days. More complex UTIs can be treated with an initial dose of intravenous antibiotics followed by several weeks of oral antibiotics.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cause an inflammatory response in the body, which can lead to an excess of white blood cells that end up in the urine. Some STIs also cause an increase in vaginal discharge, which may leak during urination and cause cloudy urine. If you have an STI, you may also notice the following symptoms:

• painful or frequent urination;
• itching or redness of the genitals;
• strange discharge from the penis or vagina;
• genital sores or warts;
• bad vaginal odor;
• abdominal pain.

But you should be aware that STIs can occur, especially at the initial stage, and asymptomatically. You should definitely talk to your doctor and ask for an examination.

Kidney stones

When kidney stones form, more minerals (salts) are released into the urine, which can cause cloudiness. Many kidney stones will pass without medical attention, but sometimes they cause severe pain and can stop the flow of urine (renal colic). In addition to cloudy urine, signs of kidney stones may include:

• pain in the back or side;
• fever and chills;
• vomiting;
• blood in urine;
• bad smell of urine;
• Burning during urination.

For kidney stones that do not go away naturally, there are several treatment options. Doctors may use a shock wave treatment known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. They may remove the stone by inserting a scope through the urethra, or they may perform surgery.

Diabetes: type 1 or type 2

People with diabetes may experience cloudy urine for a number of reasons. The kidneys must process excess blood sugar, which can cause dehydration. Kidney damage caused by diabetes can also prevent the kidneys from filtering urine properly. In addition to cloudy urine, symptoms of diabetes often include:

• extremely frequent urination;
• feeling thirsty or dry mouth;
• fatigue;
• blurred vision;
• tingling and numbness in hands and feet.

Approximately 1 in 4 adults with diabetes will have kidney disease. If a person has diabetes, a doctor may do frequent urine tests to look for a protein known as albumin, which may indicate that the kidneys are damaged.

Prostate problems

Having an inflamed or infected prostate, sometimes called prostatitis, can result in the release of white blood cells, pus, or secretions that pass into the urine. Additional signs of prostate problems include:

• frequent urination or pain when urinating;
• blood in urine;
• burning during urination;
• back, hip or pelvic pain;
• painful ejaculation.

If a man experiences any of these symptoms, he should talk to his doctor. The doctor will examine the prostate and prescribe urine and blood tests.

Vaginitis and thrush

Vaginitis is an infection of the vagina caused by a yeast infection, trichomoniasis, or bacterial vaginosis, and they can also cause cloudy urine. An excess of white blood cells or other secretions can also change the clarity of the urine in vaginitis. Symptoms of vaginitis also include:

• painful urination;
• vaginal bleeding;
• genital irritation;
• increased volume of vaginal discharge;
• Changes in color and odor of vaginal discharge.

The doctor may perform a pelvic exam, check vaginal discharge, and perform a vaginal pH test. Depending on the cause of vaginitis, he may prescribe a specific medication or cream to treat the infection.

Your diet: what you eat and drink

Your diet may cause cloudy urine. Drinking too much milk (which contains calcium phosphate) can make your urine cloudy. In addition, eating foods high in phosphorus (such as meat and dairy products) or consuming large amounts of vitamin D can also cause cloudy urine.

Text: Alena Paretskaya.

1 comment

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Paretskaya Elena Mikhailovna (creative pseudonym Alena Paretskaya)
Education: VolGMU (Volgograd State Medical University)

Area of ​​professional competencies:

Pediatrician, nutritionist, active member of the IACMAC association, WHO/UNICEF certified breastfeeding consultant. General medical experience – 15 years. Since 2009 – the author and editor of scientific and popular publications on a wide range of health issues.

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What diseases are cloudy urine from: what is it, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention

Cloudy urine relatively common. This problem is not necessarily associated with a disease. In most cases, turbidity caused by precipitation in the urine is associated with the consumption of certain foods. Cloudy urine may have a strong or neutral odor. Urine may also change in color. If persistent cloudy urine is accompanied by further painful symptoms, a doctor should be consulted.

What is cloudy urine?

Urine that does not have a clear yellow color is called cloudy. Instead of being transparent, it looks milky and less transparent than usual. Undissolved salts and sediments are responsible for this.

The color of the urine may also change if the urine becomes cloudy. However, the color of the urine is a separate criterion for assessing the cloudiness of the urine. The degree of cloudiness, odor, and color of the urine may indicate possible sources of the disease.

Causes of cloudy urine

The causes of cloudy urine are manifold. In most cases, dietary habits are responsible for cloudy urine. In this case, it is almost always harmless. But cloudy urine can also occur due to various diseases. This includes bladder infections, urinary tract infections, and kidney stones.

Cloudy urine can also indicate inflammation of the prostate. Violations of urination can be triggered by bacterial inflammation of the prostate gland. Remaining urine in the prostate causes inflammation and cloudiness of the urine through waste products. In addition, urine becomes cloudy with a kidney infection. Remains of pus and blood particles may indicate other diseases if the urine is cloudy. Cloudy urine also occurs with tuberculosis.

Normal urine is usually clear. Most of the particles excreted in the urine are dissolved in it. The dissolved components are invisible to the eye. If you let the clear urine cool longer, a sediment will be visible. Excess undissolved salts become visible when the urine becomes cloudy. We can also talk about bacteria, fungi, particles of pus and mucus. Lipids are rarely the cause of cloudy urine. In the laboratory, turbidity caused by undissolved urine salts can be clearly distinguished from turbidity caused by pus particles.

Diagnosis of causes of cloudy urine

Seek medical attention only in case of illness with subsequent symptoms. Cloudy urine can be diagnosed by routine urinalysis. Both the visual test and the test strip will show cloudy urine. However, this does not always indicate a disease.

First of all, you should find out what caused cloudy urine. For this, a urine test is performed. Further actions depend on the diagnosis. Diet-related turbidity of the urine resolves over time. If necessary, make beneficial dietary changes.

If the cloudiness is caused by an illness, the doctor will prescribe treatment. This requires further urinalysis. The urine is sent to the laboratory.

If blood particles or pus residues are found in cloudy urine, the patient should be examined more carefully. Treatment of the underlying disease also affects the turbidity of the urine.

Cloudy urine complications

Cloudy urine is usually harmless and temporary. However, cloudy urine can also be a symptom of a serious medical condition. Cloudy urine from red to reddish brown is often a warning sign.

Together with yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes and conjunctiva of the eyes, this type of cloudy urine occurs with jaundice in the context of severe liver disease or biliary disease. Also in severe urinary tract infections, if there is bleeding in the ureter or bladder, the urine may be cloudy red. Skin cancer, melanoma, can also cause cloudy, red to reddish-brown urine.

Some serious metabolic or liver diseases are associated with hemolysis. The red pigment in the blood is broken down, causing the urine to turn red. Red urine can also come from kidney stones, gout, or inflammation of the joints like gout.

If the urine is milky, white and cloudy, this may indicate a serious illness. For example, if lymphatic drainage is blocked in case of lymph tumors, there is an infection with ascaris, or there are adhesions in the lymphatic system, fatty lymph from the digestive tract enters the urine and causes milky cloudiness.

In addition, cloudy urine may indicate severe kidney disease or bacterial urinary tract disease.

When should I see a doctor for cloudy urine?

Cloudy urine can be caused by harmless causes such as the consumption of certain foods such as citrus fruits. Insufficient fluid can also lead to discoloration. This phenomenon can also occur during pregnancy due to changes in diet. First of all, cloudy urine should not be a cause for concern. However, if it does not go away after drinking enough fluids, it may indicate a urinary tract infection or cystitis. If the infection is not very severe, symptoms can be relieved with tea or over-the-counter medicines. Improvement should come within three days.

If cloudiness is accompanied by symptoms such as a burning sensation in the urethra, a strong smell of urine or painful urination, a doctor should be consulted. These may be signs of a bacterial bladder infection or other conditions such as kidney stones, prostatitis, or diabetes. A visit to the doctor quickly leads to a clear diagnosis and adequate treatment. Patients should also consult their physician in case of fever, spasms and blood in the urine to avoid complications. Self-medication for these symptoms is not recommended.

A family doctor can quickly identify an uncomplicated infection with a urine sample. A visit to a urologist is advisable for prolonged or recurring symptoms.

Treatment and therapy for cloudy urine

First, the doctor finds out the possible cause of cloudy urine. Treatment is not required if the urine is cloudy due to diet.

In any case, it is advisable to change the diet. If cloudy urine is associated with a disease, it is treated. A severe urinary tract infection often requires antibiotic treatment. This may indicate blood in the urine. Mild urinary tract infections can be relieved by drinking a diuretic tea. In uncomplicated urinary tract infections, cloudy urine usually clears up after a few days.

If kidney problems are the cause of cloudy urine, treatment becomes more complicated. In addition, the doctor may prescribe antispasmodic drugs and painkillers. As you recover, cloudy urine also disappears.

Prognosis and treatment of cloudy urine

The prognosis of cloudy urine depends on the cause and symptoms. If cloudy urine is caused by insufficient fluid intake, the urine may look normal again within a short time after drinking a lot. Cloudy urine can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. This problem can be treated by increasing fluid intake or taking antibiotics. After the infection is treated, the urine becomes clear again.

Cloudy urine may be a side effect of kidney stones. The symptom disappears after successful treatment or spontaneous removal of stones.

In men, cloudy urine may be due to inflammation of the prostate. Proper treatment of the inflammation will clear the color of the urine.

Cloudy urine is rarely a sign of serious illness. However, this symptom can also be one of the signs of cancer. Cloudy urine can be a side effect of bladder or prostate cancer. The turbidity of the urine in this case is mainly caused by blood particles in the urine. Depending on the type and stage of the disease, the urine may become clear again.

Prevention of cloudy urine

There are a number of things you can do to prevent cloudy urine. However, cloudy urine cannot be completely prevented. This is the responsibility of complex processes. First of all, with frequent problems with urination, a healthy diet is important.

You should also drink plenty of pure or mineral water every day. A sufficient amount of liquid dissolves salts and sediments. It is important to go to the toilet more often to clean your bladder regularly. If urine accumulates in the bladder for a long time, sediments and salts accumulate there. The result is cloudy urine.

The development of kidney stones due to urinary problems is sometimes due to insufficient fluid intake.

What to do to avoid cloudy urine

If the urine becomes cloudy, this is usually a symptom of cystitis.