Why does your body smell like urine?
Urine is a liquid in which ammonia, urea, hormone metabolites, and some substances from food and processed medications are dissolved.
It has a specific odor that intensifies some time after urination. If urine immediately has an unpleasant and too strong aroma, this may indicate serious illnesses and health problems.
If a person smells like urine, it could be due to:
- Infectious or inflammatory diseases. The cause of unpleasant odor in urine is often pathogenic microorganisms and viruses, or rather, their metabolic products. In this case, it is necessary to undergo an examination to find out the exact cause of the symptom. After the course of treatment, when the composition of the urine is normalized, it will stop smelling.
- Violation of the rules of nutrition and hygiene is one of the main causes of unpleasant odors emanating from a person. If personal hygiene is not observed, the smell of urine, drops of which remain on the genitals and underwear, intensifies several dozen times, and even passers-by can smell it. Also, poor nutrition and alcoholic drinks change the composition of urine, making its smell sharper and more cloying.
- An increased ammonia smell is one of the main symptoms of the development of uridrosis. This is a disease in which uric acid is secreted through the sweat glands, causing the entire body and hair to smell like urine. The disease has nothing to do with hygiene; it occurs due to disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.
- Pyelonephritis is a kidney pathology caused by an inflammatory process in them. The cause of the disease is the development of pathogenic microflora. Because of this, the urine contains a large number of bacteria, and the smell intensifies several times.
What does the smell of urine mean?
To understand why urine smells, you need to know how it is produced. This is the end product of kidney function. Urine is formed as a result of repeated filtration of blood, from which all substances unnecessary for the body are removed.
From the kidneys, urine passes through the ureters into the bladder, from where it exits through the urethra.
The natural smell of urine is due to the waste it contains from the human body - amino acids, salts, nitrogenous compounds, substances from foods or medications, etc.
Also a component of urine is ammonia, which causes the characteristic odor.
If there is an infection or inflammation in any organs, tissues or body fluids, the composition of the urine changes, so it may change the smell. When there are serious problems in the body, [M16] the urine has a strong, rotten, sweet or fishy odor.
If you experience such a symptom, you must immediately contact a medical facility for diagnosis, testing and diagnosis. Only a doctor will be able to accurately determine the cause of the stench from urine and prescribe an effective course of treatment.
Checklist: how to determine the presence of chat addiction
From the list of statements below, select those that are typical of your behavior or the behavior of a loved one.
1. Quite often I am online continuously for more than two hours.
2. Quite often I feel an irresistible urge to log into a social network.
3. I often check my phone for updates on social networks and chats.
4. When I'm online, I refresh the page frequently to check for new posts and likes.
5. I get worried and irritated if for some reason I can’t log into the network.
6. I tend to be abrupt and rude when someone tries to distract me from an online conversation.
7. I often go online to distract myself when I have difficulty solving work and everyday problems.
8. Quite often I send messages to start a conversation, without much meaning, need or interest (“How are you?”, “How are you feeling?”, “What’s new?”, etc.).
9. I communicate with friends and acquaintances online more often than in real life.
10. It’s easier for me to find common topics with people online than in real life.
11. It is not difficult for me to add friends and start correspondence online with a stranger, while in real life I am uncommunicative and shy.
12. My loved ones get offended when I turn all my attention to the phone in their presence.
If you have associated 8 or more statements with yourself (your loved ones), there is reason to think about how to learn to control your presence on the Internet.
Reasons for changes in urine odor
There can be many reasons for a change in the smell of urine:
- Metabolic disorders often lead to an imbalance between fats, proteins and carbohydrates. With an increased content of proteins, urine acquires a specific odor. The same thing happens when there is a deficiency of carbohydrates, which the body needs to produce energy.
- Infectious diseases provoke the development of pathogenic microflora, which is the source of the unpleasant amber.
- Inflammation most often leads to changes in the blood, which disrupts the composition of urine. As a result, the smell may be stronger.
- Disorders of the genitourinary system, urolithiasis and other pathologies can lead to changes in the color and odor of biological fluid, especially with fungal and bacterial infections.
Some foods and alcohol abuse also give urine an unpleasant odor, but when you return to your previous diet and give up alcohol, the body’s functioning is restored, and the quality of urine along with it.
When an unpleasant odor is not a sign of illness
In healthy people, the smell of urine sometimes also changes due to certain factors. For example, if a person smells of penicillin, this is due to antibacterial therapy with penicillins and broad-spectrum drugs.
Approximately the same smell occurs when taking B vitamins.
Some foods can enhance the smell of urine, especially hot seasonings, peppers, and garlic. Also, with excessive alcohol consumption, urine acquires a pungent and pungent aroma.
In women, not only the smell, but also the color and clarity of urine changes during menstruation and pregnancy. This is due to changes in hormonal levels.
In children and adolescents, the body is not yet fully formed; hormonal changes occur, so the smell of urine changes. Sometimes it can be concentrated, sometimes it can be very caustic, so it is important to maintain hygiene, especially for girls.
When the smell of urine indicates illness
Different diseases cause urine to smell differently.
It is impossible to diagnose the disease on your own, but based on the specifics of amber, one can suspect the development of a particular disease:
- If the urine smells like bread or yeast, this indicates poor absorption in the intestine. As a result, an insufficient amount of nutrients enters the body. This condition is called malabsorption. Another reason for the smell of urine is liver failure.
- The aroma of acetone is a sign of acetonuria. This is a condition in which metabolic processes are disrupted, and the body uses fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates to obtain energy. This condition occurs due to poor nutrition, metabolic disorders, inflammatory processes and poisoning. Acetonuria often develops with diabetes, so you need to get tested. If acetone appears in diabetics, this indicates an exacerbation of the disease.
- When you smell honey or something sweet while urinating, it may be due to diabetes or the hereditary disease leucinosis, which reduces enzyme activity.
- If a person smells like fish or the smell of rotten or rotten fish appears during urination, this indicates the development of pathogenic microflora. A common cause is gardnerella, a microorganism that develops in the female genital organs. Sometimes it can appear in representatives of the stronger sex. Usually leads to cystitis or urethritis. Another cause of fishy smell not only from urine, but also from the whole body is the genetic disease trimethylaminuria.
- When your urine smells like hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs), this can indicate several diseases. Firstly, such a symptom can occur after drinking alcohol. Secondly, for pyelonephritis and infections of the genitourinary system. Thirdly, this smell appears with prolonged inflammation of the genital organs.
Regardless of the intensity and nature of the amber, it is recommended to consult a doctor to get tested and find out the exact cause of this symptom. In this way, the body “notifies” about malfunctions.
Passion or addiction?
Everyone goes through a period of fascination with the Internet - the World Wide Web, like a new toy, is addictive and attractive, but over time it gets boring, and as a result a person switches to something else. But if switching and changing interests does not occur, then you need to sound the alarm.
It is not difficult to recognize the first signs of Internet addiction. The first thing you should be concerned about is the amount of time a person spends online. 5 hours a day is already an alarming indicator.
It is also important what exactly a person does on the Internet. It’s one thing when it’s related to work, production needs or training, and another thing if a person aimlessly looks at websites, plays online games, chats, makes new acquaintances or engages in cybersex. Usually, against the backdrop of immersion in the network, a person refuses normal, real, personal communication, work and study, relationships with people around him deteriorate, sleep patterns and diet are disrupted.
Online addiction causes emotional depression, difficulty concentrating, and withdrawal. As a result, a person prefers a computer and virtual communication to communication with real people.
AiF infographics
The main category of people prone to Internet addiction are children and adolescents, as well as timid, anxious, weak, low self-esteem and self-absorbed individuals. Internet addiction is the same serious disease as alcohol or drug addiction.
Article on the topic
5 dangers of virtual communication on the Internet The number of Internet addicts is estimated by experts differently - from 2% to 10% of the world's population. Also, according to some data, the majority of them are men; according to other studies, it is mainly children and teenagers who get hooked on the Internet.
In addition, today psychiatrists identify five types of Internet addictions: cybersex (love of porn sites), virtual dating, games for money, online role-playing games and Internet surfing (mindlessly turning pages).
What to do if there is an unpleasant odor
If the urine smells too much, it means there are health problems. The first step is to see a doctor to make a diagnosis.
The type of treatment and duration of the course are prescribed individually for each patient, depending on the type of pathology, age, general health and characteristics of the body.
The main disease that causes odor changes is inflammation, most often a bacterial infection. The disease requires complex treatment. Also, some sexually transmitted diseases can cause a stench even after taking a shower.
The treatment complex may include different methods and means, because everything depends on the disease. When an infection develops in the genitourinary tract, broad-spectrum antibiotics or antifungal drugs are prescribed, depending on what pathogen caused the disease.
During this period, it is imperative to take vitamins and immunomodulatory drugs that improve the body’s protective functions.
If the cause is cancer, surgery and chemotherapy are required, which is aimed at destroying cancer cells.
When the acetone content in urine increases, drugs are prescribed that reduce its concentration. Soda enemas and plenty of drinking, preferably still mineral water, are also necessary.
Addiction and choice
Many of us regularly use drugs such as alcohol or nicotine. We can sometimes even overdose on them. But in most cases this does not qualify as drug addiction. This is partly because we are able to regain balance and choose alternative rewards, such as spending time with family or enjoying other things.
However, for those who are susceptible to excessive "desire", it can be difficult to maintain this balance. When researchers figure out what makes a person susceptible to developing an overreactive “desirable” system, it may help doctors better manage the risk of exposing patients to drugs with such strong addictive potential.
In the meantime, many of us need to reconsider how we think about addiction. Our lack of understanding of what predicts the risk of drug addiction means that it can just as easily affect us. In many cases, an individual suffering from addiction does not lack the willpower to quit drugs. They know and see the pain and suffering it creates around them. Addiction simply creates cravings that are often greater than any one person can overcome alone.
That's why people struggling with drug addiction deserve our support and compassion, not the mistrust and exclusion that our society too often provides.
