Milky urine (cloudy urine) - causes, symptoms, therapy

These are the causes and background of milky urine
Urinary turbidity occurs in many different variants. While slight urine discolorations are often due only to harmless causes, such as a temporary lack of fluid, with heavy cloudiness is usually not fun. Especially milky urine indicates in the majority of cases serious underlying diseases, so if symptoms persist, a doctor should be consulted promptly. And additional discoloration can be a worrying warning sign.

contents

• definition
• Yellow urethral are usually harmless
• Beware of red urination
• Brown haze of urine is alarm sign
• Whitish / Milky urine can mean a lot
• Cause urinary tract disease
• Milky urine in disturbed lymphatic drainage
• Milky urination - signs of renal insufficiency?
• When to the doctor in urination?
• diagnosis
• Therapy for urination
• hygiene
• nutritional therapy
• Naturopathy with milky urine
• Medical therapy
• Inpatient and operative treatment

definition

The color of the urine is determined by numerous factors. Basically, it consists of the body's own breakdown products, which the metabolism can not utilize and which therefore have to be rinsed out. A distinction must be made between the primary urine and the final urine. The still relatively clear primary urine is the unfocused urine substrate (also: ultrasubstrate), which flows together in the collecting tubes of the kidney. It is mainly formed from aqueous blood plasma, which is secreted via the bloodstream of the kidney and still contains unfiltered degradation products of the metabolism. These have a maximum diameter of 4.4 nanometers and are composed of proteins, glucose (glucose), amino acids and electrolytes, among others.

The color of the urine is caused by metabolic products (urochromes). (Image: Björn Wylezich / fotolia.com)

In the next step, the primary urine is filtered from the kidney corpuscles to final urine to recover the last substances that can be used by the body. Also, about 99 percent of water is removed from the urine, which changes its material composition so that it receives its typical, yellow color.

Responsible for the urine color are so-called Urochrome. These are yellow-colored metabolic products that form in the kidney during the breakdown of hemoglobin from filtered blood plasma. Together with other filter substances, urochromes account for 5% of the final urine filtrate. Other filter materials in Endharn are in this regard

• fragrances
• uric acid
• urea
• hormones
• organic acids
• and water-soluble vitamins

Due to the special composition of Endharns results in a particle density of 1015 to 1024 g per 1 liter of urine. Turbidity is therefore always accompanied by an increased particle concentration of more than 1024 g per liter of urine. Depending on which cause is responsible for the increased particle density, it can also come to urine discoloration. They often give first indications of the type of cause, since only certain particle concentrations are suitable for different colorations.

Roughly classify said clouding of urine in four different color classes:

1. yellow urethralis
2. red turbidity of the urine
3. brown urine clouding
4. whitish urination

While slight deviations from the natural yellow shade of urine are usually no cause for concern, there are sometimes very sensitive reasons for all other types of cloudiness that should not be taken lightly.

If the urine is dark yellow to orange in color, dehydration can be the cause. (Image: oscar williams / fotolia.com)

Yellow urethral are usually harmless

Not always there must be a serious underlying disease behind a clouding of the urine. If this only appears slightly darker than usual, for example, a short-term dehydration may be responsible. He then has a dark yellow to orange color, reminiscent of natural cloudy apple juice and a increased urochrome concentration is to lead back. Such defilements benefit from inadequate hydration, consumption of certain foods (e.g., citrus fruits), and water-depleting body processes such as those caused by alcohol intake and intense physical activity.

Another cause of yellowish cloudy or milky yellow urine can Pregnancy-related hormonal changes his. Above all, an increased concentration of the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), often changes the composition of the urine in such a way that, on the one hand, it appears extremely yellow and possibly also visibly hazy. In addition, an increased hCG level in the urine can affect its odor, which is why the urine of pregnant women often carries a sweetish note.

Sometimes a yellowish cloudy color does not even come from the urine itself. For example, in women, natural secretions of vaginal secretions can temporarily cloud the skin. In dammed up urine it comes next to an increased Failure of salt crystals, which can occasionally cause dull morning urine. As long as fresh urine is still warm, the salts remain undissolved in the urine filtrate. However, if it cools down, the salts solidify into crystalline structures that cause a short-term change in color. This can range from yellowish to slightly reddish with increased salt concentration.

Beware of red urination

Red urination does not necessarily mean the addition of blood in the urine. In addition to urine salts are also foods with one high content of carotene or betanin well able to transfer their orange to reddish staining properties to the urine. At first glance, the red discoloration terrifies those affected immensely, but is completely harmless to health. Typical foods that may be the cause of this harmless urine clouding are carrots and beetroot.

Far away from the nutritional aspect, however, it must be pointed out that red urethral obfuscation is more frequently caused by the so-called hematuria to be triggered. The term describes the addition of blood in the urine and is an alarm sign for internal bleeding. Bright red turbidity indicates a particularly fresh wound or only mild blood flow in the area of ​​the urinary tract (for example, in severe cystitis). Dark red to reddish-brown colored urine, however, indicates either a strong blood flow or a different kind of disease.

A reddish urination should always be taken seriously, as it may, for example, indicate a severe urinary tract infection. (Image: sercansamanci / fotolia.com)

Important: Urinary tract bleeding as the cause of red-clouded urine can clearly be distinguished from bleeding during the course of the female cycle. These are of course safe, even if they discolor the urine sometimes.

Brown haze of urine is alarm sign

In fact, there are significantly more causes for red-brown or black-brown urethral obstruction than it initially appears. For example, except for hematuria Alkaptonurie conceivable. This is due to a congenital disorder of tyrosine metabolism, which leads to increased storage of the degradation product homogentisate. In urine, this degradation product oxidizes to the black-brown coloring Alkapton, hence the disease name Alkaptonurie.

The problem is mainly because it can occur in addition to material deposits in the urine and crystal deposits of homogentisate or Alkapton in the joints, eyes and kidney. The latter increases the risk of kidney stones.

Another possible cause of a reddish-brown discoloration of the urine are increased blood color values. To call here on the one hand, the blood pigment bilirubin. It is a breakdown product of the red blood pigment 'heme' and can cause an abnormal storage of bilirubin in the body in disorders in the blood metabolism. In this way arises the well-known jaundice (Jaundice), which can also discolor the urine in addition to eyes, skin, mucus and conjunctiva. While other body parts in the course of jaundice but accept the disease-typical yellowing, causes the blood pigment in the urine rather a brownish-cloudy color change.

The second blood pigment, which can cause brownish cloudiness, is the red blood pigment heme itself. A disease that causes especially in this context for brownish cloudiness, is the metabolic disease porphyria. As with jaundice, decomposition products of the blood pigment accumulate in the body during the course of the disease. Hereditary enzyme defects in the heme structure are responsible for the metabolic disorder.

Danger: Both jaundice and porphyria are associated with severe liver damage. Corresponding ureters therefore require timely treatment!

There is one more disease that can be classified as particularly dangerous if it has brownish discoloration. That's what he means Black skin cancer (Malignant melanoma). It attacks the pigment cells of the skin and, in the further course of the disease, can lead to increased excretion of dead pigments via the urine, which subsequently becomes cloudy and discolored brown.

Whitish / Milky urine can mean a lot

In common usage, the term "milky urine" is often used for all of the above urinary opacities. Truly milky urine, in addition to the turbidity itself, has an unusual, whitish color. It is due to an increase in whitish urine particles, which is often associated with malfunctioning of the kidney, wound processes in the urinary tract, or fine tissue remnants in the urine. Causes that make milky urine a very serious matter.

Cause urinary tract disease

The milky cloudy urine occurs in the context of urinary tract infections like the cystitis on. But also an inflamed prostate and kidney stones are always associated with a discoloration of this kind. When it comes to the diagnosis of said urinary tract diseases, doctors take as standard the leukocyte levels in the urine under the microscope. For a good reason, because the white blood cells known as leukocytes not only cloud the urine milky, but are also an indication of an advanced course of the disease.

Often, milky urine is associated with cystitis. (Image: absolutimages / fotolia.com)

The cause of the increased leukocyte content are immune processes in which the body's response to infectious agents such as bacteria or viruses. Leukocytes act as immune cells, which detect pathogens in the body and render harmless. If bacteria and Co. have taken root in the urinary tract, the number of white blood cells in the urine will also increase. In this case one speaks of a leucocyturia, whereby in addition to leukocytes also wound conductors or residues of infectious agents can be contained in the urine. In addition to the milky color goes leucocyturia also associated with other concomitant symptoms of infection. Among them are:

• general malaise
• fever
• increased urination
• Problems with urination
• Pain when urinating
• Hemorrhages in the urine

Danger: Leukocyturia is particularly alarming with urinary bleeding, kidney pain and fever. These are clear indications that a urinary tract infection is already very advanced. In the worst case, it threatens a kidney pancreas, which can then cause a renal insufficiency.

Milky urine in disturbed lymphatic drainage

Another critical cause is Disorders in lymphatic drainage. A scenario that occurs primarily in the course of serious diseases and therefore again requires a timely diagnosis. The milky urination occurs here, when more lymphatic fats get into the urine circulation. More precisely, they are so-called Chylusfette, which in this case trigger the whitish-cloudy coloring.

A possible source of increased chyle fat in the blood is infection by parasites. In particular, tropical nematodes They like to nest in the lymphatic system of their host, where they put on small food cysts, which then interfere with the lymphatic drainage. Since the lymphatic fats can no longer be completely broken down, you are increasingly transported via the bloodstream into the kidney, from where they continue into the urine. One possible type of nematode, which has been proven to lead to corresponding lymphatic disorders as well as disturbance-related urinary turbidity, is Wucheria bancrofti.

Also possible is an increased concentration of chyle fats in the urine Adhesions in the lymphatic tissue. The course to urination is relatively identical to that of a threadworm infection and is mainly based on a disturbed lipid metabolism in the lymphatic system. Beyond that lymphoma as a possible cause of said disorders in lymphatic drainage. Not only does the tumor-related runoff disturbance favor a milky urine, this type of cancer also carries the risk that tumor cells will detach from the lymphomas, migrate through the lymph channels into other areas of the body, and finally form metastases there. The urinary tract is not excluded from this risk of metastasis. Patients should therefore pay close attention to the following concomitant symptoms:

• fatigue
• anorexia
• fever
• increased risk of infection
• lymphadenopathy
• unexplained weight loss
• itching
• night sweats
• Enlarged spleen

Milky urination - signs of renal insufficiency?

Nutrients such as proteins are normally absorbed during the filtration of the primary urine and returned to the body. However, if malfunctions of the kidney or kidney corpuscles are present, an increased protein concentration may be the result of a lack of urine filtration. Although the turbid urine usually still appears slightly yellow in this so-called proteinuria, the color is much brighter and almost white.

Main cause for one proteinuria is mainly chronic renal insufficiency. In rare cases, the disease is favored by malformations or congenital genetic defects. Much more often, however, it is caused by previous underlying diseases. Especially as a concomitant diabetes mellitus is often a kidney weakness, which can lead to complete failure of the kidney in the further course. Renal cysts, circulatory disorders of the kidney and inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the renal corpuscles, for example, by an advanced Pyelonephritis, are also considered as risk factors. Dialysis is often inevitable in such cases, in order to be able to ensure a sufficient mass transfer between blood and kidneys at all. Conspicuous accompanying symptoms in renal insufficiency are also:

• anorexia
• difficulty in breathing
• mental performance losses
• noticeable skin changes
• seizures
• Nausea and vomiting
• increased water retention

Harmless are increased protein concentrations in the blood, if they only last for a short time. Often one can then identify natural secretions of the urinary mucosa as the cause of the milky urine. The remnants of the mucous membrane are highly proteinaceous and reach as small mucous clouds, so-called nubecula into the urine as it passes the urinary tract. There is generally no concern about this form of clouding.

If the urine is milky, reddish or maroon cloudy, a doctor should be consulted in a timely manner. (Image: Csaba Deli / fotolia.com)

When to the doctor in urination?

As pointed out at the beginning, a clouding of the urine does not always have to speak for a disease. As a rule, there is no reason to worry if it only lasts for a short time and is due to certain dietary or everyday habits (for example, consumption of coloring foods or physical exertion) and there are no concomitant complaints. With alcohol consumption and lack of hydration, however, the urgency of a doctor's visit depends on the frequency of habits. Anyone who consumes a lot of alcohol or chronically drinks too little, therefore, must urgently seek a behavioral change and should have a routine check at the doctor for safety.

The doctor's visit is definitely recommended if the urine is very clouded and discolored. Here are usually health problems behind the complaint, which must then be clarified as quickly as possible. Concomitant symptoms such as fever, frequent urinary urgency, pain when urinating or a general feeling of illness speak a clear language in this regard. As a rule of thumb, milky, reddish and reddish-brown opacities should always be examined for safety.

diagnosis

The main exam consists of a detailed urine test for every form of haze. After taking a final urine sample, all relevant urine values ​​are checked. In the case of urinary tract infections, for example, increased leukocyte and / or protein values ​​can be detected in the course of the laboratory tests. Furthermore, if erythrocytes (red blood cells) are detectable in the urine, the suspicion of an advanced infection with bleeding wound involvement is close. In addition, the test can be used to assess possible infectious agents, details such as the pH value of the blood and salt and electrolyte distribution.

In addition, further follow-up examinations may be necessary. Especially metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, jaundice or porphyria commonly require an additional blood test. If suspected diseases such as renal insufficiency, lymphatic or skin cancer, organ reflections and tissue samples are common. The same applies to advanced diseases of the metabolism, if they have already led to organ problems, such as liver, spleen or kidney weakness.

In the laboratory, the various components of the urine are examined. (Image: Gerhard Seybert / fotolia.com)

Therapy for urination

The treatment, of course, depends on the underlying cause. There are various options available, ranging from simple diet changes to surgical interventions:

hygiene

For the treatment of cloudy urine as a cause of urinary tract infections, it is extremely important to keep the genital area germ-free. Corresponding hygiene measures are therefore an important part of personal therapy support. This is the only way to prevent infectious agents from entering the urinary tract again, thus providing further contamination of the urine. As a precautionary measure, avoid aggressive care products, as well as inappropriate clothing (such as thongs) and sexual intercourse during healing, to avoid irritation of the weakened urinary tract and its intimate environment.

nutritional therapy

In the field of nutrition, a targeted diet of diuretic foods is recommended for the purification of urine. Vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, celery or asparagus are just as well suited here as are water-rich fruits (for example watermelons or grapes). Also, a targeted hydration should not be missing. At least 2.5 to 3 l per day are essential for a good flushing of the urinary tract. Water, unsweetened teas and warm broths, which do not burden the troubled fluid household even more, are clearly to be preferred in this regard.

Naturopathy with milky urine

The right drinking habits can also counteract illnesses such as cystitis with a view to cloudy urine and even positively support their healing process. On the one hand, infectious agents are reliably flushed out of the urinary system by a good supply of liquid, on the other hand, certain medicinal herbs help wonderfully in the healing of inflammations.

For example, acai berry, known as aronia, is considered an excellent natural remedy for urinary tract infections. Responsible for the healing effect are here above all the antibacterial as well as disinfecting tannins and anthocyanins of the Aronia. They have antibacterial, disinfecting and immune boosting properties. In addition, the chokeberry contains numerous vitamins and minerals, which help weakened urinary tract quickly to jump again.

The aronia's other berry species are cranberries, blueberries and currants, which are relatively similar in their effect and composition. Prepared as juice or tea, the healing berries strengthen the urinary tract mucous membranes and help the immune system in the rapid fight against pathogens. Dull urine should therefore no longer be a problem when used regularly.

Natural diuretics such as stinging nettle, tarragon, elderberry or rosemary are also well-suited for the treatment of infectious clouding. They can also be easily brewed to tea and their decoction drunk to flush the urinary tract. A special tip is also fresh salads with draining vegetables, which are then equipped with said herbs.

Nettle tea is particularly well suited to flush the urinary tract with an infection. (Image: Madeleine Steinbach / fotolia.com)

Medical therapy

Whether and which medicines are necessary must be decided on a case-by-case basis by the doctor. Infections such as bladder, prostate or renal pelvic infections commonly require antibiotic treatment to ensure that the disease heals quickly and no bacterial residues remain in the urinary tract. This could in the worst case ignite the foci of infection and provide for chronic illnesses. Parasitic infections can also be remedied with antibiotics.

If the pain and inflammatory processes in urinary tract disorders are particularly bad, physicians occasionally prescribe also analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Preparations such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), ibuprofen or diclofenac are often the drugs of first choice. It should be noted, however, that some of these medicines, as well as antibiotics, may temporarily exacerbate urination.

Lymphoma and skin cancer as a cause make a therapy with cytostatics inevitable. In addition, radiotherapy may be required. The urine clouding may initially continue to increase in the course of the medication or the radiation procedure.

Inpatient and operative treatment

If a stone disease is responsible, you can first try to dissolve the kidney stones with medication. However, this succeeds only in stones with certain material composition. In addition, in the drug process remain again and again stone particles in the kidney, which then grow into new kidney stones. It is better to surgically remove the crystalline deposits. The extraction by means of a sling in this regard is now obsolete. Instead, modern medicine relies on endoscopic disintegration by means of shock waves, laser or ultrasound (nephrolitholapaxy). After the stone has been removed, its mineral precipitates are prevented in the urine, which gives the urine again a clear yellow color.

In diabetes mellitus, dialysis in hospitals is often unavoidable. Although a well-adjusted patient can prevent disease-related renal insufficiency and thus cloudy urine discoloration for a long time, sooner or later the health burden on the kidney will often be so great that the blood purification must be performed by machine.

If a kidney failure in addition to cloudy urine and massive health impairments cause, the last solution is only a kidney transplant. Once a new kidney has been used, urinary filtering should work smoothly again, so that cloudiness does not become a problem any more. (Ma)