Urine consists mainly of water. It's the amount and concentration of various waste products excreted by the kidneys that causes urine odor. Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor.
Urine often has a slight ammonia smell, especially first thing in the morning or when a person is dehydrated. Smelly urine can also be a sign of an infection, however, so if the smell does not go away on its own, or if additional symptoms develop, see a doctor.
Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day will dilute your urine and reduce or eliminate its odor. 2. Get examined for possible infection. Bladder and urinary tract infections are common in people with incontinence, and can cause urine to smell bad.
In most cases, a strong urine smell is caused by your food or is a sign that you need more fluids. If your urine smells sweet, you feel unwell, or you have other symptoms along with foul-smelling urine, though, talk to your doctor. Treatment for an unusual urine smell depends on the cause.
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.
Diabetes does not generally cause strong-smelling urine. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to urine that smells sweet or fruity.
The most common medically concerning reason for smelly pee is a urinary tract infection (UTI), according to Dr. Ross. UTIs tend to be more prevalent in people with vulvas, according to the Office on Women's Health (OWH), because their urethras tend to be shorter, inviting more bacteria to enter the bladder.
Pee that smells like ammonia
If you detect a hint of ammonia in your urine, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). The odor suggests that bacteria may be swimming around in your urinary system, most likely in your urethra, kidneys or bladder.
Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor. If urine becomes highly concentrated — a high level of waste products with little water — your urine may have a strong ammonia odor.
Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine.
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.
Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.
This may be due to a UTI or even to dysbiosis, where harmful bacteria increase in number and take over the good bacteria in the body. The excess bacteria may change the smell or look of the urine as it sits in the bladder, which can lead to a sulfuric smell. Cystitis needs prompt medical treatment.
Kidney stones can change the composition of your urine, resulting in unusually foul-smelling urine. These changes in smell may be due to increased salt or ammonia content caused by kidney stones. A urinary tract infection may also make your urine smell worse.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one possible cause of having an ammonia taste in your mouth, sometimes called “ammonia breath.” Some people describe ammonia breath as having a metallic taste, while others have reported that it smells similar to urine.
Light-brown or tea-colored urine can be a sign of kidney disease/failure or muscle breakdown.
Proteinuria is high levels of protein in your pee. If you have proteinuria, you may have to pee more often, and your pee may be foamy or bubbly. You may have general feelings of illness, including nausea, vomiting, tiredness and swelling.
Certain foods like coffee, garlic, onion, asparagus, Brussel sprouts and curry may contain certain substances known to temporarily impart a strong smell to urine when consumed in sufficient amounts.
Urine that is dark orange, amber, cola-coloured or brown can be a sign of liver disease. The colour is due to too much bilirubin building up because the liver isn't breaking it down normally. Swollen abdomen (ascites).