Common Causes of Cloudy Urine

A lot of the time, cloudy urine is nothing to overly worry about. But if it doesn't go away or if you have other symptoms, you ought to inform your doctor. Read on to learn more about what it might mean and what to do about it.

What does "cloudy" urine mean? What should urine look like?

Urine that appears cloudy is just that—cloudy. Dr. Robert Shmerling, Senior Faculty Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, says that normal urine should be clear and light yellow. Urine that is cloudy looks like milk or haze. "If you poured it into a glass, you wouldn't be able to easily see through it.

Common reasons why urine is cloudy

These things could be making your urine appear cloudy:

Acid levels are low. The things that make up

urine are water, salt, and waste. When these parts come together, they usually make urine that has a pH level between a little acidic and a little alkaline. But Dr. Shmerling says that your urine can become more alkaline than normal if you keep vomiting or eat certain foods. It also looks cloudier when the pee is more alkaline. "We do sometimes see cloudy urine among vegans, since a diet high in fruits and vegetables raises your urine's pH level," he says.

UTI stands for urinary tract infection. White blood cells and even small amounts of blood could show up in urine if you have a UTI, says Dr. Shmerling. This will make it look cloudy. If it is a UTI, you will probably have other signs, like having to go to the bathroom a lot and being in pain.

Dehydration. "If your urine is very concentrated, it may appear cloudy because it's dark yellow or, if you're really dehydrated, almost orange," Dr. Shmerling points out.

Diabetes. Some people with diabetes can get sugar in their urine, which can make it look cloudy.

Diseases spread through sexual contact. People with trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia can have cloudy urine. This can happen to both men and women.

Certain medications. Certain blood thinners, such as warfarin, have been linked with blood in the urine, leading to a cloudy appearance. Dr. Shmerling says that some medicines, like the antibiotic rifampin, can change the color of urine and make it look cloudy.

Kidney disease. If your pee is cloudy and has little foamy bubbles in it, it may mean that you have kidney disease. It could also mean you have kidney stones, though kidney stones generally have other signs like pain in the abdomen or flank and throwing up.

The patient is experiencing problems with the prostate. The doctor says that white blood cells can build up in your pee if you have an infection in your prostate. A swollen prostate may also cause issues. "It can damage the urethra, the tube that allows urine to leave your body," he points out. "If it's injured, blood and other debris can enter urine and make it look cloudy.

When should you see a doctor about cloudy urine?

Dr. Shmerling says you shouldn't worry too much if you have cloudy pee but otherwise feel fine. It could be because you are not drinking enough water, so make sure to drink a lot of it.

But call your doctor if the urine is cloudy for more than 24 hours or comes and goes. To try to find the root reason, like a UTI or diabetes, they can do a urine culture and blood tests.

Dr. Shmerling also adds that there are times when you should call your doctor right away. Some of these are:

severe or long-lasting pain when you urinate, fever, abdominal or flank pain (this could be a sign of a kidney stone), or blood in your urine.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio