Kidney disease causes chemicals in urine to become concentrated and to cause a smell resembling ammonia. Kidney dysfunction can also cause high bacteria and protein levels in the urine, which will contribute to a foul ammonia smell.
Patients with kidney disease or dehydration may have concentrated urine that contains an abnormally high level of waste products and smells like ammonia.
When urine is highly concentrated, it contains more ammonia and less water. This can cause it to have a strong smell. Urine tends to be more concentrated when a person is dehydrated. This is often the case first thing in the morning or when a person does not drink enough water throughout the day.
Diabetes does not generally cause strong-smelling urine. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to urine that smells sweet or fruity.
Urine concentration: It's normal for urine to have a stronger odor first thing in the morning. After a night's sleep, urine is more concentrated and odorous as well as brighter yellow in color. Dehydration also increases urine concentration, causing stronger smelling urine.
Reduced GFR is a red flag for six major complications in patients with CKD: acute kidney injury risk, resistant hypertension, metabolic abnormalities, adverse drug reactions, accelerated cardiovascular disease and progression to end-stage kidney disease.
Urine and blood tests are used to detect and monitor kidney disease. Currently, the key markers used include abnormal urine albumin levels and a persistent reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
See a GP if: You have smelly pee and: you need to pee suddenly, more often than usual, or during the night. you have pain or a burning sensation when peeing.
You have a urinary tract infection.
In fact, pee that has a strong ammonia smell, or foul or slightly sweet-smelling urine is often the first indication that you have a UTI. Basically, the strange urine odor is the bacteria's fault (because bacteria is what causes UTIs in the first place).
Make a solution of baking soda, peroxide and any dish detergent. The combination of the three is often powerful enough to drive away strong urine smells. The solutions is eight fluid ounces of peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of dish detergent.
In the case of liver or kidney disease, your odor may give off a bleach-like smell due to toxin buildup in your body.
Light-brown or tea-colored urine can be a sign of kidney disease/failure or muscle breakdown.
Some of the most common kidney pain symptoms include: A constant, dull ache in your back. Pain in your sides, under your rib cage or in your abdomen. Severe or sharp pain that comes in waves.
What tests do doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney disease? a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are filtering your blood, called GFR. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. a urine test to check for albumin.
Itching from kidney disease can be anywhere on the body. People with uremic pruritus tend to be itchy on their face, back, and arms.
Liver disease
Infections and diseases of the liver can produce high ammonia levels in the urine and the accompanying pungent odor. Ammonia levels in blood and urine will increase when the liver is not working as it should. Any continued ammonia odor in urine should be checked by a doctor.
urinary stones – these may cause an ammonia-like odour (read about bladder stones and kidney stones)