Since the color of urine is one of its most important characteristics, brown urine often causes a real panic in many. But not always such a color change indicates a serious ailment. Along with the many serious diseases that brown urine indicates, it can also simply indicate the abuse of certain foods or medications that promote urine pigmentation.
Staining in a dark shade resembling the color of tea can be caused by excessive consumption of rhubarb, legumes, or aloe preparations. Black Indian tea (rubarb) also colors urine in this shade. Brown urine is often formed after consuming laxatives containing senna grass, Alexandrian leaf, or cascara; some antibiotics (metronidazole, nitrofurantoin); antimalarial drugs (chloroquine, primaquin); drugs used to treat urinary tract infections. Brown urine appears in case of poisoning with lysol, salol, phenol, naphthol or cresol. The same color gives a decoction of grass "bear ears" and activated carbon.
Sometimes the color of urine acquires a light brown tint with prolonged abstinence from urination and the consumption of a small amount of liquid. In this case, an increase in water intake and regular emptying of the bladder lightens the urine.
The situation is much worse when all of the above factors could not affect the color of urine. Brown urine often appears with serious diseases of the liver and kidneys. Often this symptom manifests itself in cirrhosis or hepatitis. The brown color of urine, reminiscent of the color of dark beer, appears, first of all, with the release of bile pigments - biliverdin and bilirubin. In this case, urine is also characterized by the fact that when it is shaken, a yellow foam is formed. With kidney diseases, the color of urine darkens with violations of their excretory functions. Excess fluids, accumulating toxins and toxins also alter the normal color of urine.
Dark urine with a brownish tint may indicate the appearance of blood in it. Such symptoms also appear when sand or kidney stones appear. Passing through the urinary tract, solid elements can damage their tissues, which leads to the appearance of blood. Some infections and tumors in the genitourinary system lead to the secretion of pus with blood during urination. Brownish red urine may also be a symptom of myoglobinuria.
Dirty brown urine is observed in both acidic and alkaline pH conditions. The brown color of urine often occurs when melanoma occurs in the body.
If brown urine appears daily for several days, you must definitely consult a doctor. Sometimes only timely diagnosis allows you to quickly detect the cause of the deviation from the norm and identify a serious disease. The following symptoms of malaise may be accompanying symptoms indicating the presence of a disease:
- rapid and painful urination;
- sharp and strong urge to urinate, often accompanied by the release of an insignificant amount of urine;
- excessive sweating, chills, and fever;
- periodic increase in body temperature;
- sharp pains in the abdomen and back (in the region of the kidneys);
- nausea and vomiting;
- strong and offensive smell of urine.
Do not forget that when one or more symptoms accompanying brown urine appear, it is absolutely impossible to resort to self-medication. Qualified to detect and cure the disease can only a specialist nephrologist.