Discolored Urine

Under normal circumstances, urine color is usually clear or slightly yellowish, with a slight odor of ammonia. At times, it may be discolored, which is a cause of concern. Pinkish or red-colored urine may be due to bleeding in your urinary tract, which would require immediate attention.

If it is cloudy or milky, it may be due to kidney stone or some infection in the bladder. It may also be due to some diseases like jaundice or diabetes.

However, discolored urine may not necessarily be due to some infection or ailment, but may also be due what you consume. If you consume a lot of beet, your urine may be red in color, and it may seem like blood is present in urine. On the other hand, if you consume a lot of asparagus, your urine may become green.

Consumption of food rich in vitamin B6 may give your urine a distinctive smell. Dark yellow urine means that your body is dehydrated, and you need to consume enough water.

The causes for this condition are listed below:

There may be several reasons for discolored urine - the most common being, consumption of a particular kind of food, drugs, etc. or some or the other disorder. If you find that your urine is discolored, and you have not been consuming anything that may have caused this, you must consult your doctor immediately.

Pink or Red Urine
The major reasons for urine becoming red in color are medications, food, infections, and toxins in the body. If you have consumed foods like blackberries and beet, your urine may become red.

There are some laxatives like Ex-lax that can make your urine red. Drugs like thioridazine and chlorpromazine can also make urine red. If your prostate gland enlarges, or if there is any tumor, kidney infection, or bladder stone, you may have red urine. Lead or mercury poisoning may cause your urine to become red.

Orange Urine
This may be due to medications you may be taking, or due to foods and supplements. If you have been consuming supplements rich in vitamin C like carrot or winter squash, your urine is likely to become orange. Medicines, which may turn your urine orange include rifampin, warfarin, and phenazopyridine.

Green Urine
At times, you may find that your urine may become green due to consumption of foods like asparagus. On the other hand, if you have been on some medications like Phenergan, cimetidine, indomethacin, or amitriptyline, it may be one of the causes for the green color.

Brown Urine
If you have been consuming foods like aloe, rhubarb, or beans your urine may turn brown. A number of drugs like primaquine, chloroquine, nitrofurantoin, and metronidazole may turn your urine brown. Tyrosinemia, a rare hereditary disease or disorders of the liver such as cirrhosis and hepatitis can cause your urine to turn brown.

Cloudy or Murky Urine
Kidney stones or urinary tract infection are the main causes of or murky or cloudy urine. This may be caused due to the presence of phosphates, fat, epithelial cells, mucus, bacteria, white blood cells, or red blood cells in urine.

This problem is found commonly in children and pregnant women. The reasons are given below:

Many a time, it is found that the urine of children are discolored. It happens when there is bacterial infection in the urinary tract. The kidneys, urethra, bladders, and the ureters comprise the urinary tract, and each of these organs play a vital role in excreting unwanted waste from the body.

There may be an infection in any of these organs, and most commonly, the bladders and urethra are infected. In children, usually bacteria is not found in urine, but they can enter from the surrounding skin of the anus.

Girls, at a very young age are more prone to urinary tract infection than boys, therefore chances of this condition occurring in girls is more commonly found. Other than infection, urine may be discolored due to the consumption of certain foods or if they are under certain medications. So, it's always better to consult your doctor if you find that your child's urine is discolored.

During pregnancy, you may find that the urine is discolored, but there is nothing to worry about that. Several changes take place in your body during pregnancy.

These changes may cause discoloration of urine. Usually, there are three main reasons - consuming less water, consuming food containing yellow pigments, and using prenatal vitamins. If urine is discolored due to one of these reasons, make sure that you consume a lot of water so that it dilutes the urine.

This condition is temporary and will go away within a day or two. However, if it is accompanied with a burning sensation or pain, make sure that you consult a physician.

Take care of your diet, and don't forget to consume a lot of water. If discolored urine is accompanied with pain, it's a cause of worry; if you keep it untreated, it may cause a serious medical condition.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.