Mucus in urine is a condition wherein mucus is detected in the urine. Mucus is a colloid with gelatinous consistency that occurs in various body parts such as lungs, intestine and other organs. Inner wall’s lining of the intestine is made up of mucus that protects the tract of the intestine. This gelatinous foul substance appears yellowish in color. Since mucus makes the inner lining of intestinal wall it allows stools to be smoothly egested, thus if mucus appears in stool, it is not generally a matter to be worried for. However, if mucus is present in urine it may indicate underlying health complications.
Urine is often transparent and either yellowish or colorless. If mucus is present in urine it may make it look cloudy. In some cases the condition may indicate possibilities of excretory system issues. The immune or reproductive system can be other possibilities that may lead to occurrence of mucus in the urine. There are possibilities that urine contains mucus due to conditions such as cystitis, urinary tract infection, stone in kidney, etc. Individuals who suspect mucus in urine should consider consulting a doctor and seek effective treatment.
Causes of mucus in urine
There can be several factors that may lead to mucus in urine some of these possible causes are:
UTI or Urinary tract Infection
Urinary tract infection is among the most common causes of mucus in urine. The entire urinary tract is comprised of various organs such as kidney, urethra, bladder and ureters, etc. UTI infection may occur when bacteria or other invaders enter this system through blood stream or else during urination. The entire urinary system is in fact prone to infection, particularly the bladder. In addition to secretion of mucus with urine UTI may also lead to some other symptoms such as pain, frequent urination, burning sensation, etc.
Kidney stones
Kidney stone also causes release of mucus along with urine. In this case urine may also start to smell pungent and foul. Hence, when the condition is suspected doctors also check for occurrence of kidney stones. He may also look for other blockages in the urinary system. There are other symptoms often associated with the condition such as pelvic pain and pain in the abdomen.
STDs or Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Urinary System infection may also appear due to various types of sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia. This condition may also possibly lead to secretion of foul cloudy substance through urine.
Ulcerative colitis
People who are affected with ulcerative colitis may also depict possibilities of damages to mucus membrane in inner side of intestinal wall. Signs as well as symptoms of this condition are often specific and may include swelling of membrane of intestine or ulcer development in the intestine. The ulcer also causes release of mucus which gets transmitted to the urinary system and then out of the body.
Urachal cancer
Urachal cancer is characterized with occurrence of anomalous cell growth or tumor in the bladder. This is one of the rare types of cancer. Majority of cases diagnosed for Urachal cancer have normally depicted occurrence of mucus in the urine. Hence, doctors may possibly suggest to additional test to determine if Urachal cancer is underlying.
Irritable bowel syndrome
This is a gastrointestinal condition associated with large intestine and may remain for short term. This condition may also cause secretion of mucus in the urine. However, generally irritable bowel syndrome may also cause the condition.
Treatment for mucus in urine
The treatment for mucus would greatly depend on the associated cause. An appropriate treatment can be obtained through assistance from a certified doctor. The doctor may suggest you tests to diagnose the irregularities and accordingly provide treatment based on the outcome of the tests. To complement the treatment you can also adopt other self-care practices to alleviate the condition.
It is absolutely important to maintain good personal hygiene, especially at the extremities. You should maintain clean groin region in order to avoid accumulated mucus to appear in urine. This will also avoid chances of UTI and or reduce existing infections from flourishing further.
Temporarily though, severe dehydration can also lead to appearance of mucus in the urine. In such a case the affected individual should drink too much urine to restore body’s fluid level to normal healthy range. Increased fluid intake may increase your frequency of urinating allowing more mucus to be eradicated with the flow if any accumulated mucus is there.
Add fresh fruit juice to your regular diet in order to provide additional vitamins to the body as it will help in fighting underlying cause of the infection; however, ask your doctor and dietician for best juices you can have. Some of the highly suggested juices are orange and cranberry juice. Orange juice provide high amount of vitamin C and cranberry can eliminate germs in the urinary tract. One should also abstain from alcohol especially if affected with UTI as it will help the treatment to have faster effect. Remember that you should strictly avoid sex if you are affected with such a condition as sex can cause transmission of the diseases to your partner as well, especially if it is STD associated.
The best way to deal with such condition is by consulting a doctor and undergoing proper diagnosis. There are chances that mucus in urine may be linked with serious insidious, underlying condition; hence, doctor’s assistance is highly suggested.
