Analysis of the excretion products helps the specialist to learn a lot about the patient’s health status. But even an ordinary person, by some of their external characteristics, can determine that unfavorable changes are observed in his condition. Why does urine smell so bad? We suggest you deal with this problem. Find out what are the possible causes of the unpleasant, harsh, atypical smell of urine in an adult, a child, and your pet.
When everything is normal
Before you figure out why urine smells so strong, consider the normal situation for a person. Urine in this case differs in the following:
- the liquid is transparent, has a characteristic yellowish or straw color;
- freshly collected urine should smell almost nothing;
- if the liquid stays in an open container for a long time, then under the influence of air in its mass fermentation will take place, from this the urine will acquire a sharp ammonia smell.
The process of removing urine from the body
Let us also consider in general terms the process of urine excretion in a healthy person.
- The fluid, in the mass of which the waste products of its life are removed from the body, goes a long way - through the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
- Urine accumulates in the bladder - a muscle bag, whose volume is about 300-600 ml. As it accumulates, it is secreted by the body.
- The output of fluid passes through the urethra (urethra).
So why does urine smell so bad? The most common reason is in one of the organs that we listed above, some problems in their work. But another can provoke an unpleasant smell.
Specific food
Why does urine smell strongly, abruptly, unpleasantly? The reason may be hiding in your recent lunch or dinner.
- Spices (particularly garlic) that produce a pungent aroma. These condiments can also give a prominent smell of urine.
- Seafood. Especially if you ate them in large quantities. The statement concerns most of all mussels - both fresh and pickled.
- The most common “food” reason for the strong smell of urine is asparagus. Whatever form you use this plant, it will cause a sharp unpleasant smell of secretions. However, a disadvantage of this kind is easily eliminated - before use, add a little sea salt to the dish with asparagus.
Systemic disorders in the work of organs
Why does a person's urine smell so strong? As we discussed above, this may be due to systemic disruption of the organs. Especially those systems through which urine passes.
The most common causes are the following diseases:
- Pyelonephritis - inflammatory processes that occur in the kidneys. It can be either a primary form (the disease affects healthy kidneys) or secondary (pyelonephritis - a consequence of another kidney disease). Changing the smell of urine here will not be the only sign. The patient will complain of sharp, pulling pain in the lower back. The disease is serious enough - you need to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible!
- Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder. The disease can be both infectious and non-infectious in nature. The mucous membrane of the muscle sac becomes inflamed, which leads to disruption of its work - the patient’s urine will become cloudy, having a precipitate. Unpleasant ammonia smell will be felt from freshly collected urine. Sometimes there is "drug" cystitis - the disease is caused by prolonged use of large doses of medications that irritate the bladder mucosa. In particular, it is "Urotropin", "Phenacetin". In this case, urine will have a sharp "pharmacy", "hospital" smell.
- Urethritis is an inflammation of the walls of the urethra (urethra). Disease of bacteriological, viral nature. In addition to the sharp smell of urine, the patient will notice noticeable pain during urination, purulent, bloody blotches in urine. Moreover, the smell of this disease appears the very first of all symptoms.
- UTI (urinary tract infection). Due to the anatomical proximity of the location of organs, diseases of these systems are interconnected in a number of cases. Vaginosis, chlamydia, gardnerellosis - these are the causes of the sharp unpleasant smell of urine. The collected urine here will also be cloudy in the light.
In men and women
About the diseases of the genital area can speak the characteristic putrefactive smell of urine. This is a cause for concern for both women and men. This means that somewhere in the genitourinary system inflammatory foci formed, surrounded by suppuration. This can also be said about rectal fistulas - rectal, bladder fistulas.
The sharp unpleasant smell of urine in men is one of the symptoms of prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland). The patient also notes pain in the perineum, sexual dysfunction, difficulty urinating.
If a woman, especially after a recent sexual intercourse, diagnoses the discharge of urine with an unpleasant odor, this may be evidence of the presence of a sexually transmitted infection in the body, an imbalance of the vaginal microflora. For the same reason, some women note this symptom after childbirth.
Medication
Why does urine smell so strong? The reason may lie in taking certain medications. Such a side effect is most often immediately indicated in the instructions for the drug.
Among the common medicinal and prophylactic agents, the following smell gives an unpleasant smell to urine:
- Amoxicillin;
- "Trovan";
- Omnipen
- Ampicillin
- "Proloprim";
- Ciprofloxacin;
- complex of vitamins of group B.
Dehydration
Why is there stinky urine? The pronounced ammonia smell of urine is a rather alarming sign. It can testify to the total dehydration of the body! The reason is that water imbalance makes urine more concentrated than usual.
Dehydration does not always have a critical condition or serious illness. Overtake it can and completely healthy person. If we, carried away by work or other employment (and even more so physical), on a hot and stuffy day we forget to drink the right amount of water. Recall that the minimum norm for a person per day is 1.5 liters.
Starvation
The result of fasting is acidosis with all the sad consequences arising from it. The human body needs a certain amount of carbohydrates daily. With their shortage, the deficiency begins to be compensated from the preliminary reserves of fatty acids.
Hypoglycemia develops (insufficient blood glucose). The blood mass becomes acidic, which leads to acidosis. Consequence - ketone bodies are removed with urine. They will give urine a strong odor of acetone.
Other diseases
Why does urine have a pungent smell? The reason can also be in diseases that are in no way connected, at first glance, with the urinary tract:
- Diabetes. The symptom of diabetes is dehydration, which leads to the appearance of the smell of urine. If the form of the disease is severe enough, then from the urine comes a kind of sweetish smell, reminiscent of something apple. This indicates an increased content of ketone bodies. The most dangerous signal is when the urine of a diabetic begins to characteristically give off acetone. Here the level of ketone bodies went beyond the limit, and acidosis began in the body. If emergency measures are not taken in this case, a diabetic coma may overtake the patient.
- Liver failure. Serious disorders affecting the functions of the organ that can occur with acute viral hepatitis, toxic, alcoholic, medicinal and other lesions. The effectiveness of the liver system is also reflected in urine. With so-called jaundice, the urine has an atypical thick smell, it becomes the color of a dark beer or a completely brown, greenish hue.
- Leucinosis. Another name is "maple syrup disease." This is a hereditary pathology, which is characterized by metabolic disorders in the body of amino acids - valine, leucine, isoleucine. The second name of the disease was given precisely by the characteristic of urine. Urine begins to give a hue that is somewhat reminiscent of the smell of maple syrup. It is determined by the presence in the urine of a substance that appears from leucine.
- Trimethylaminuria. Quite a rare disease, which is characterized by a "fishy" smell of urine. What is the reason? In the human body, the substance trimethylamine accumulates, which is characterized by a shade of rotten fish.
- Phenylketonuria. Urine will have a "mouse" smell here. A genetic disease in which a person has difficulty metabolizing phenylalanine (one of the amino acids) in the body. The concentration of the substance in the urine and gives a characteristic odor.
Metabolic disease
All other dysfunctions of this kind will be characterized by the appearance of an unpleasant smell of urine:
- sweat
- rotten cabbage;
- sulfur;
- mold
- sour beer and stuff.
Any of these examples is an occasion to consult a specialist.
Why is stinky urine in a child?
Let’s separately consider cases involving children:
- Only in newborns, urine will not have a smell. As they grow older, urine will acquire the characteristics characteristic of adult urine.
- The unpleasant smell of urine in infants is one of the signs of the presence of a genetic disease in a child.
- Let's say why the urine of a 5-year-old boy smells sharply? This may indicate a genitourinary disease of the child.
- A pungent odor acquires urine in children at high temperature and dehydration (often these factors are associated). In such cases, it becomes more concentrated. This will be the cause of the smell. Try to give your baby as much fluid as possible.
- If the baby is breast-fed, then the smell of his urine often reflects what the mother ate. We have already said which products give a sharp smell to urine.
Even if the reason seems too banal to you, it will not be superfluous to go with the child for a consultation with a pediatrician.
Why does a cat have stinky urine?
In conclusion about our smaller brothers. Reasons why a cat has smelly urine:
- Like a person, the pungent smell of ammonia from urine will talk about dehydration.
- The animal entered puberty and hunting. The smell is caused by increased activity of the sex glands.
- The diet of the cat is incorrectly selected. The reason is a violation of protein balance.
- Genitourinary disease. Everything repeats the human situation.
- Hormonal diseases, cancer. An alarming sign is a putrefactive odor. Often, he alone can talk about a serious pathology.
- Severe stress. The pungent smell in this case is a malfunction in the metabolic processes.
If an unusual smell appears for no apparent reason, does not disappear within 2 weeks - this is an occasion to take the animal to the veterinarian.
So we figured out all the reasons for the strong smell of urine. Even if some of them are harmless, still this is a sufficient reason to contact a doctor.