Mucus in the urine in clinical medicine is considered a pathology, especially in cases where this element is present in large quantities. An insignificant amount of mucus should not cause concern, but if it exceeds the minimum indicators, then this may indicate that a certain inflammatory process takes place in the kidneys or urinary tract.
Pathology Description
On the inner surfaces of the urinary tract, the process of rejection of epithelial cells may occur, which may be the result of their injury during passage of stones or microcrystalline sediment from the kidneys, as well as invasion of a bacterial infection in the body. In addition, chronic autoimmune inflammatory processes in the kidneys may be the cause of mucus in the urine.
Causes
A similar pathological phenomenon is associated with inflammation in certain parts of the urinary system, which can disrupt the outflow of urine and provoke an increase in mucus formation by epithelial cells. Pathologies of the urinary system in some cases are general or local in nature. In the first case, the infection enters the urinary system from inflammatory foci in other organs or systems, and in the second case, during the initial penetration, the infection affects the urinary system directly, most often various venereal diseases contribute to this. What other causes of mucus in urine are possible?
Hygiene
High levels of mucus in urine can be associated with hygiene when people violate the rules for laboratory tests. For example, before collecting urine for analysis, it is necessary to clean the external genitalia, and women need to introduce a cotton swab into the vagina, which helps to avoid getting the genital secretions when urinating.
A frequent reason for the presence of mucus in the urine is its prolonged retention, which provokes the increased work of cells that produce mucus. The reason for the presence of mucus in urine in men is urolithiasis and inflammation of the prostate.
Pathogenesis
Along the entire length of the urinary tract, a layer of epithelium is present on the inner surface, containing special cells that secrete mucus. It is intended primarily to protect the inner layers of the urinary tract from all kinds of irritations and damage. Normally, such cells secrete a certain amount of mucus necessary to reduce the level of aggressive action of urea. The amount of mucus in the urine in this case can be determined only after laboratory analysis, and it is impossible to see it on your own with the naked eye. A large number of mucous elements that can be externally detected after urination indicates, as a rule, the development of an acute pathological process in the urinary system. What does it mean - mucus in the urine? This is interesting to many, consider in more detail below.
Detection in mucus analysis
General urine tests are prescribed to almost every person during any diagnosis. This analysis allows you to evaluate various parameters that indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. In healthy people, mucus in the urine is almost not determined when taking tests. Currently, the diagnostic system uses a plus system. They indicate the volume of mucus in the urine test - from one to four.
If these parameters exceed the minimum acceptable indicators, then, as a rule, a second analysis is assigned. And in the case when the results of both analyzes coincide, or if an increase in the amount of mucus is observed, other diagnostic measures are prescribed to the patient to determine the nature of the underlying disease, which could provoke the occurrence of this pathological phenomenon.
Symptoms
As a rule, the presence of this phenomenon is not accompanied by certain symptoms. They can appear depending on what pathology this is caused by, which characteristic manifestations of this particular disease have. It follows from this that the symptoms can be very diverse. For example, with inflammation of the internal organs or in the presence of stones in the urinary tract or kidneys, the main symptoms will be cutting pains in the lower abdomen or in the lumbar region.
Mucus in the urine of a child
The presence of mucus in urine in a child also indicates the occurrence of any pathological process in the urinary system. This is especially true in cases where the volume of the mucous contents exceeds the norm.
The appearance of mucus in urine in children is associated with several factors. One of them can be a disease such as phimosis. A similar pathology occurs only in boys, when the glans penis is partially or completely separated from the foreskin, which provokes the accumulation of various contaminants and pathogens under it, as well as mucus, which enters the urine during urination.
Inadequate hygiene may be another cause of mucus in urine in children. Before collecting urine, it is necessary to wash the genitals - boys should rinse the head of the penis and the skin around it, and girls should be washed from front to back so that pathological bacteria from the anus do not enter the vagina.
In addition, it is recommended to take morning urine for analysis and use a special sterile container, which is sold in pharmacies. From the moment of urine collection to the laboratory test, more than three hours should not pass, and this biological material should be stored in a cool dark place. Another common cause of mucus in children’s urine is prolonged stagnation of urine. However, the greatest concerns are a variety of infectious inflammatory processes, which may be accompanied by this pathological manifestation. These include inflammation of the kidneys, ureters, or bladder.
The presence of mucus during pregnancy
The occurrence of mucus in the urine during pregnancy can be caused by some infectious diseases that are transmitted through the genital tract - these are ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, etc. These pathologies can negatively affect not only the health of the woman herself, but also the condition of the unborn child, causing various disorders in its development.
In addition, during pregnancy, mucus in the urine can be observed with impaired renal function. This is due to the fact that during this period they begin to work more intensively and experience greater loads.
Urine analysis during this period may also reflect the nutrition of a woman. For example, the use of large amounts of fat leads to an increase in cholesterol, while urine acquires a cloudy hue, a pungent odor, and there is a certain amount of mucus.
The presence of mucus in urine in men
The presence of this pathological inclusion in urine in men indicates primarily inflammation of the prostate gland. The reason for the presence of a large volume of mucus may be an insufficiently sterile container for collecting tests, in which bacteria begin to multiply actively.
Continued abstinence from urination is another cause of pathology. And it should be noted that mucus in urine in men can form as a result of infection with some sexually transmitted infections after unprotected sexual contact. And what does mucus in urine in women mean?
Among women
In healthy women, urine should have a light yellow tint, not have a pungent odor. Some foods, such as white bread, pork, sweets, poultry, can change the color of urine and make it rich yellow. Also, mucous elements may appear from this, which may indicate an unbalanced diet. In this case, the results of the analysis do not indicate the presence of diseases or insufficient hygiene.
The vagina in women is located very close to the urethra, when collecting urine for analysis, particles of epithelial tissue and mucous secretions can get from there. In such a case, a small amount of mucus may be noted in the urine, which is also not a pathological condition.
A large amount of mucus in a woman's urine usually occurs with the development of inflammatory and infectious diseases of the genitourinary organs, with calculi in the kidneys and bladder. Typically, a woman with a pronounced pain syndrome in the lower abdomen, painful or unpleasant sensations during urination appear, the temperature rises slightly. Urine with such pathological processes acquires a pungent smell and a cloudy color. This is what mucus in urine means.
Diagnostic procedures
The presence of mucus in urine is diagnosed in special clinical laboratories. During the study, many parameters are taken into account. Firstly, the color and transparency of urine, its smell, density, pH, the amount of proteins, glucose, ketone bodies, epithelial cells, red blood cells, fungi, salts, mucus, etc., are evaluated.
If a mucus amount exceeding the norm is found, consultation with a urologist is necessary, which will determine the cause of such a pathology. It should be noted that the result obtained in this case is considered a preliminary conclusion, since in order to identify the causes of mucus formation, it is necessary to conduct additional analyzes and studies, take into account the patient's complaints, and conduct an examination.
In addition to the general analysis of urine, there are other laboratory tests that are carried out in such situations. Blood parameters are also examined and daily urine collection is recommended.
Instrumental diagnostic methods are also used when a similar pathology occurs and are prescribed individually (depending on complaints, concomitant symptoms and manifestations of certain diseases). Such diagnostic methods include: ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, organs located in the pelvis, cystoscopy, x-ray examination with contrast, which is used to detect the presence of stones and crystalline sediment in the kidneys. How to treat such pathologies in which mucus and bacteria appear in the urine?
Pathology treatment
Therapeutic procedures for eliminating mucus in the urine directly depend on the results of diagnostic tests and determining the main pathological process that provoked this phenomenon.
With cystitis, antibacterial drugs are prescribed (Nolitsin, Augmentin, etc.), the use of a large amount of liquid in the form of water, broths of wild rose or oats, a variety of herbal teas.
Inflammation in the kidneys requires great care and adherence to all prescriptions, as this can provoke very serious consequences in the form of a process becoming chronic. When pyelonephritis is prescribed, as a rule, uroantiseptics, antibacterial and nitrofuran preparations, nalidoxic acid, Biseptolum and Kanefron.
We examined a pathology such as mucus in the urine. What this means is now clear.