Alterations In Urine: Aspects To Be Aware Of

It is important to pay attention to the condition of your urine, as it can say a lot about your health.

There are various reasons explained to alterations in urine over time. Do not hesitate to consult your doctor in case you observe any of the following.

Urine is a fluid that forms in the kidneys after filtering organic waste and excess water from the body. It exits through the ureters, one for each kidney, to the bladder where it is stored.

It is normally composed of 96% water and the remaining amount of dissolved substances, such as urea, uric acid, creatinine, chlorides, etc. All of these components must be evaluated when we speak of urine alterations.

From the bladder, it is expelled out through the urethra. The bladder is an organ that, if functioning normally, can store up to 170-180 cm3 of urine in 3-5 hours.

Changes in urine: different aspects

Alteration of urine due to problems with discharge

Urine production can be affected by a number of factors or diseases. For example, it can be blocked, usually by stones, but it can also be blocked by different tumors. These changes do not allow the bladder to empty properly.

In turn, complications with urine output can also occur due to kidney disease, especially when the patient is suffering from kidney failure.

These are also obstructive problems that cause the correct outflow of urine to burst, infections of the urinary system, or problems with bladder control, such as overactive bladder or incontinence and enlarged prostate in the patient. man.

As we saw earlier, urine is mostly water, but it also contains another set of elements. The amount of these components can increase or decrease and will indicate that something in the body is not working properly.

• Proteinuria: The urine has a high protein level. It can be a sign of the presence of diseases such as diabetes, certain poisonings, glomerulonephritis or urinary tract infections.
• Glycosuria: This is the presence of glucose in the urine. This usually indicates poorly controlled diabetes and certain kidney disease
• Pyuria:  presence of pus in the urine
• Hematuria: it can occur during urinary tract infections, stones or cancers of the urinary system. It consists of the presence of blood in the urine
• Bacteriuria: This may be a sign of infection in the system or in the urinary tract. This is the presence of bacteria in the urine

Alteration of urine due to changes in quantity

The amount of urine expelled can also vary. In the event that we do not produce anything, we speak of anuria. On the contrary, if we often need to urinate or the amount of urine increases, then we will speak of polyuria.

Another change in urine that can be noted is oliguria. In this case, we will notice that the amount of urine will decrease noticeably every 24 hours. We must also mention the retention of urine, which is the inability to eliminate the urine accumulated in the bladder.

Finally, urinary incontinence is the lack of control over the emission of urine. In this case, it is difficult to control the ejected quantity.

Alteration of urine due to color changes

The normal color of urine is yellow or light yellow. The most common changes in urine color are:

• Dark yellow is usually a sign of dehydration
• The orange can be due to the excessive consumption of foods rich in beta-carotene. It may also be related to taking certain medications
• The red or pink is usually due to the presence of blood in the urine and as we explained earlier there is a situation of hematuria.
• Purple, usually in patients with a bladder catheter due to the transformation of certain pigments by bacteria found in the catheter tube
• Whitish: also known as albuminuria. It can be caused by the presence of a severe urinary tract infection or by a lymphatic fistula, especially in cases of neoplasia or abdominal trauma.

If the color is changed for more than 3 days, we recommend that you consult a doctor. It will perform a scan to diagnose the problem causing the change. It is also advisable to have a check-up in case of other symptoms of altered urine.