Types of unpleasant urine odors in women and their causes

Uncharacteristic odor of urine not associated with disease

Healthy people have repulsive urine odor for the following reasons:

• Foods and drinks create a strong urine odor, such as asparagus, garlic, alcohol, foods with a lot of salt or hot spices. A day or two after eating the dishes, everything returns to normal;
• Carrying a child . Unpleasant urine odor during pregnancy occurs due to changes in the body when a woman’s hormonal background changes. After the baby is born, the pungent smell of urine in women goes away;
• Beginning of menstruation or menopause . If urine smells like ammonia, in some situations this is an omen of changes in the body during menopause and menstruation;
• Neglecting the rules of caring for the genitals. The reasons for the unpleasant odor of urine in women may be due to a lack of hygiene rules. With hygiene procedures, the stench disappears;
• Use of medications . Antibiotics, for example, penicillin, vitamin B6 and agents that replenish the lack of calcium and iron in the body, can cause a pharmaceutical odor in the urine. This amber will disappear when you stop using the drugs;
• Excessive protein intake . With such a diet, the liver malfunctions; if the urine stinks, then the diet should be reconsidered. Excessive protein intake may be the answer to the question of why urine smells like ammonia in women, because when amino acids are broken down, ammonia is formed;
• Delayed bowel movements or loss of body fluids at night. Urine has an unpleasant odor in the morning if the toilet has not been visited during the night. An unpleasant smell of urine during pregnancy also appears after two hours of abstinence, since the uterus puts pressure on the abdominal organs, especially the bladder, and stagnation occurs;
• Age . With increasing age, hormonal levels change and a person’s urine begins to smell unusual, either rubber or iodine.

Not in every case, smelly urine is a harmless influence of external factors. If the repulsive odor does not go away after eliminating the causes, you should think about pathology.

How to determine pH at home

It is not necessary to perform a urine pH test at the clinic. There are home methods for determining pH. They are used by people with chronic diseases (uraturia, urolithiasis, diabetes) who must constantly monitor the acidity of their urine.

When determining the pH value of a biomaterial, it is recommended to use sterile polymer containers, which are sold in pharmacies.

To measure the pH of urine, the following methods are used:

• Test strip. Special indicators are sold in pharmacies. They look like oblong yellow paper strips. To carry out the test, you need to place the indicator in a container with freshly collected urine. A calibration chart is included with the test strip package. It is used to determine not only the reaction of urine, but also the value of the acidity indicator. The error of the method does not exceed 1 unit.
• Magarshak method. Pharmacies sell special containers with reagents. When the collected liquid is placed in it, a chemical reaction occurs. The acidity of the urine is calculated from the color of the precipitate. If the hue is bright purple, the pH is low, and if it is greenish, it is high.
• Indicator paper. Red and blue paper strips are used for analysis. They are placed in a container with urine. If the shade of the indicators does not change, the acidity is within normal limits. Coloring the blue stripe red indicates acidification, and the red stripe turning blue indicates alkalization of the liquid.

If it is necessary to constantly monitor the acid balance of urine, it is recommended to use pH meters (ionomers). A sample of biomaterial is placed inside the device, after which the acidity value is displayed on the screen. This method most accurately determines pH.

Modern pH meters are suitable for measuring the acidity not only of liquids, but also of food products. This helps people with kidney stones adjust their diet and add new dishes to the menu.

Smell of fish

Diseases transmitted from a sexual partner

With such diseases, urine smells like fish. An unpleasant odor in infected people is a consequence of infection:

• trichomonas;
• gonococci;
• chlamydia;
• ureaplasma;
• mycoplasmas.

With trichomoniasis, vaginal discharge becomes foamy, the intimate parts of the body become swollen and unpleasant feelings are observed during sexual intercourse.

With gonorrhea caused by gonococci, pus is released from the intimate organs, discomfort and itching are felt. Urination is painful, and there is a strong smell of urine in women.

With chlamydia, watery and slightly viscous mucus is released from the genitals, sometimes with blood clots. With this disease, women experience a nagging pain in the lower abdomen and feel discomfort when urinating.

With ureaplasmosis, the appendages and uterus become infected, which can provoke the formation of stones in the urinary system and cause infertility. The spread of pathogenic microorganisms occurs at high speed, so it is important to start treatment on time.

Mycoplasmosis develops:

• bacterial vaginosis;
• urethritis;
• pyelonephritis;
• inflammation of the uterus and appendages.

The disease can sometimes occur without symptoms. The main symptoms include burning of the urethra, itching of the genitals, and unusual vaginal discharge. Mycoplasmosis can also be diagnosed if the urine smells like ammonia.

Smell of acetone and ammonia

Diabetes

The smell of acetone in the urine of women may appear due to diabetes. In diabetes mellitus, there is a lack of glucose, so the body's defense mechanism is triggered in the form of the release of acetone.

Acetone promotes the penetration of glucose into cells, but has side effects on the entire body. Symptoms of diabetes, in addition to the smell of urine, include thirst due to dehydration, peeling skin, muscle spasms, and abdominal pain.

Gestational diabetes

Foul-smelling urine during pregnancy may be a sign of gestational diabetes. The smell of acetone in the urine of women signals the accumulation of acetone in the body. This usually happens due to toxicosis. With toxicosis, water and other substances needed by the body are lost.

Gestational diabetes is dangerous for both mother and baby; it can develop into diabetes mellitus. Symptoms include malaise, sleepiness, and dizziness.

The smell of acetone in the urine of women during pregnancy serves as a signal for testing for ketone bodies. If deviations from the norm are found, the patient is hospitalized.

Prevention from the accumulation of acetone is:

• diet: vegetable soups, lean meat, apples, cottage cheese;
• sufficient fluid intake. Regidron, Gastrolit and other solutions will help preserve nutrients in the body
• the use of sorbents, for example, activated carbon;
• droppers with glucose or vitamins to saturate the child with the necessary substances.

Liver diseases

Liver disease is the reason why urine smells like acetone in women. Hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver in women reduce the body's ability to produce enzymes, metabolism is disrupted, and this contributes to an increase in the concentration of acetone in the urine.

How to properly prepare and collect material for analysis

For OAM, morning urine is used, which is collected immediately after waking up. In most laboratories, pH is determined using the indicator method. The results of the study depend on the correct preparation for collecting material. To avoid false positive and false negative results, changes are made to the diet and water regime.

2 days before the test, you must follow a diet. Avoid foods that change the color of urine and affect its acidity:

• greenery;
• alcohol;
• beet;
• red berries;
• canned fish;
• fatty food;
• smoked meats;
• seafood;
• carrot.

Requirements are made for the patient’s lifestyle. 2 days before urine collection you should:

• limit physical activity;
• stop sexual contacts;
• refuse to visit the pool or sauna;
• avoid stressful situations.

When preparing for OAM, you should not use vitamin-mineral complexes, hormonal contraceptives and loop diuretics.
These drugs affect the metabolism and acid-base balance of urine. Rules for collecting biomaterial:

• before collecting urine, wash the genitals with neutral soap;
• the first 30 ml of urine is flushed into the toilet;
• collect 60 ml of medium portion into a container;
• Cover the container with urine with a tight lid and place it in the refrigerator.

The biomaterial is delivered to the laboratory within 1.5-2 hours. During urine collection, the container should not come into contact with the skin, otherwise epidermal cells will become trapped in the skin, which will affect the test results.

Sour odor

Dysbacteriosis and gastritis

Sour urine odor occurs in people with dysbiosis or gastritis. Long-term use of antibiotics or bacterial damage to the intestines leads to an imbalance of microflora. Intestinal dysbiosis often leads to changes in the flora in the vagina and diseases of a woman’s intimate organs. Signs of vaginal dysbiosis are a strong smell of urine in women with sour notes and abundant uncharacteristic discharge.

Dysbacteriosis is treated with agents that restore intestinal microflora and suppositories with a similar effect.

Fungal infection

The cause of the sour smell of urine can be a fungal infection, against which the following diseases develop:

• vaginal candidiasis;
• candidal urethritis.

These diseases are accompanied by flaky white discharge from the vagina and urethra, white coating on the mucous membranes of the labia, cloudiness and sour odor of urine, and itching.

Ointments for the genital organs, suppositories, and tablets based on Nystatin and Metronidazole will help get rid of fungal infections.

Treatment with drugs

Drug therapy depends on the diagnosis. For inflammatory and bacterial infections of the urinary system and reproductive organs, the following groups of drugs are used.

Antibiotics

Broad-spectrum or narrowly targeted medications are prescribed based on the results of bacterial culture of the discharge.

Drugs of choice in injection and tablet form:

• Ceftriaxone;
• Norfloxacin;
• Gentamicin;
• Doxycycline;
• Levofloxacin.

Ceftriaxone is a broad-spectrum antibiotic for inflammatory processes.

The dosage and method of administration are determined by the doctor. The main side effects are impaired bowel movements, bloating, flatulence, and lack of appetite.

In gynecological practice, Clindamycin and Terzhinan are used. Side effects - irritation of the genital organs, burning, itching.

Antibacterial agents in tablets and suppositories.

For pathology of the urinary system, the following is prescribed:

• Nitroxoline;
• 5-Nok;
• Furamag;
• Biseptol;
• McMiror;
• Canephron, Trinephron, Phytolysin - plant based.

Nitroxoline has an antibacterial effect in pathologies

The main side effects are disruption of bowel movements and intense yellow coloration of urine.

For diseases of the reproductive system, antibacterial suppositories are prescribed:

• McMiror;
• Betadine and its analogues;
• Hexicon;
• Chlorhexidine;
• Neo-Penotran;
• Metrogyl is a vaginal gel.

Macmiror is an effective antibacterial drug for the treatment of reproductive diseases

Side effects include the risk of burning, itching at the injection site, and minor bleeding due to the use of suppositories.

Anabolic and hypoglycemic medications

If diabetes mellitus is detected, the endocrinologist will prescribe insulin to relieve the acute condition. Then a transition to other hypoglycemic agents is possible. The drug of choice is Glucophage, Insufort, Glycomed.

The main side effects of this group of drugs are changes in taste habits and digestive disorders.

Probiotics

Against the background of diseases and during their treatment with antibacterial agents, intestinal dysbiosis develops, so taking probiotics is required:

• Bifidumbacterin;
• Linux;
• Acipol;
• Yogurt.

Bifidumbacterin is prescribed for intestinal dysbiosis

Unpleasant smell of urine in girls

The urine of newborn babies has virtually no odor. The older the child gets, the more children's urine takes on the properties of adult urine.

The strong smell of urine in a child, just like in an adult, can serve as a signal of the presence of pathology, or may be a consequence of exposure to external factors.

In breastfed babies, the urine may smell due to foods the mother has eaten. The smell of formula-fed babies' stool can be affected by changing the formula.

However, if your child has a strong smell of urine, you should inform your pediatrician. There are hereditary metabolic or inflammatory diseases.