Brown urine

Brown urine causes real panic in many people, as it can indicate serious pathologies. Let's consider the causes of this phenomenon, methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Minor changes in urine color are considered normal. Darker urine in the morning is associated with an increased concentration of urochrome. With heavy drinking, it changes color to bright yellow. But in some cases, the change is caused by pathological or physical conditions.

• Dark shade can be caused by excessive use of aloe-based products, legumes or rhubarb.
• Various laxatives that contain senna or cascara, antibiotics, antimalarial drugs also provoke changes in the color of the fluid excreted by the body.
• In some cases, prolonged abstinence from urination and insufficient fluid intake causes the biological fluid produced by the kidneys to become dark in color.

But the situation is much worse if all the above factors are absent. In this case, dark urine can occur with serious kidney and liver diseases.

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Causes of Brown Urine

An unusual urine color can occur for a number of reasons, including harmless factors and symptoms of serious diseases.

Non-dangerous causes:

• Increased concentration of urochrome due to fluid deficiency in the body.
• Increased sweating associated with physical activity or climatic conditions.
• Use of medications.
• Consumption of drinks and foods containing dyes.

The biological fluid changes its color when beef, rhubarb, legumes and strong tea are included in the diet. Naphthol and salol preparations, laxatives, also cause changes. But when the preparations are discontinued or the above products are consumed, the color is quickly restored.

Pathological causes:

• Jaundice (hemolytic, mechanical, parenchymatous).
• Prostate diseases.
• Inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and liver.
• Pathologies of the genitourinary system.
• Diseases of the female internal genital organs.

In jaundice, the color change is caused by a violation of the formation and excretion of bile enzymes. Acute intestinal diseases cause a large loss of fluid and provoke dehydration of the body, so they can also be the cause of the deviation. In case of kidney damage, urine darkens due to the presence of blood or pus in it. Such secretions pass through the genitourinary tract and, if the reaction is acidic, color the liquid.

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Brown urine in men

Brown urine in men is characterized by physiological and pathological changes. This can occur due to dehydration or serious diseases of the internal organs and genitourinary system. If the changes are caused by pathological phenomena, then accompanying symptoms appear, simplifying the diagnostic process. As a rule, this is nausea, elevated body temperature, abdominal pain, unpleasant, sharp smell of urine and painful urination. Such symptoms indicate a progressive disease, so they require urgent help from a urologist, therapist or nephrologist.

Main reasons:

• Diseases of the prostate, testicles and vas deferens.
• Prostatitis.
• Inflammation of the epididymis.
• Scrotal injuries.
• Increased concentration of urochromes.
• Use of medicines.
• Jaundice, hepatitis.
• Excessive consumption of vitamins B and C and increased red blood cell count.
• Copper poisoning.
• Urinary tract cancer or bacterial infection.
• Liver cirrhosis, anemia and other diseases.

But if you do not take medications and do not eat food with dyes, then the disorder requires medical diagnosis. In addition, the color of the biological fluid becomes darker in elderly patients. If this phenomenon persists for several days, then you should consult a surgeon or urologist.

Brown urine in women

Changes in urine color in women usually occur with inflammatory diseases. But the shade can change due to dehydration, drinking drinks and food with dyes, poisoning with toxins and using certain medications. The defect appears with diseases of the genital area. These are venereal diseases, tumors of the cervix, disintegrating uterine fibroids or non-specific inflammation of the genital tract. In addition to color changes, a sharp foul odor of discharge and pain during urination appear.

Causes of the disorder:

• Deficiency of fluid in the body and high levels of urochromes.
• Consumption of foods containing dyes.
• Jaundice of viral etiology or hepatitis.
• Hemolytic anemia and elevated bilirubin levels.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Vasculitis.
• Pregnancy period.
• Kidney disease.
• Pancreatic and liver cancer.
• Dietary factors.
• Various injuries.

To identify the true cause of the deviations, the doctor prescribes general and biochemical tests of urine and blood. Based on the test results, a plan for therapy and prevention of the disorder is drawn up.

Brown urine during pregnancy

During pregnancy, many changes occur in the female body, which occur due to hormonal changes. Very often during this period, urine acquires a brown color, which makes the expectant mother worry. Normally, the color of biological fluid is yellow, but the appearance of deviations does not always indicate serious pathologies. For example, if you ate beets, rhubarb, cherries or blackberries the day before, then your urine will acquire a dark shade. But if there were no coloring products in the diet, and the woman maintained water balance, then it is worth going to the hospital.

During pregnancy, the genitourinary system experiences increased stress. The growing fetus and enlarged uterus put pressure on the kidneys, making their functions difficult. The kidneys have to work for two organisms at the same time – to remove metabolic products from the mother's body and the fetus's body.

Pathological color appears when:

• Presence of bile pigments and blood.
• Use of medications and dehydration.
• In the presence of urobilin.

Regardless of the color, the most important thing is that the liquid is not cloudy. A pregnant woman should regularly take urine tests in order to promptly identify possible pathologies.

Brown urine in a child

Darkening of the urine color in a child causes panic in parents. But such a disorder does not always indicate a pathological nature. The shade of the fluid excreted by the kidneys is affected by the foods consumed. So, if the baby recently ate carrots, blueberries, beets or rhubarb, then the brown color should not cause concern. The color and smell of discharge are affected by medications and dehydration.

If the changes are accompanied by high temperature, abdominal pain and painful urination, then these are signs of the disease. Symptoms of this kind may indicate pyelonephritis. In any case, it is necessary to take tests for examination. If an increased number of red blood cells is detected, then this is glomerulonephritis, and an increased level of protein may indicate cystitis. The attending pediatrician will prescribe additional studies, which will help to identify the disease and the degree of the inflammatory process. But if the baby feels well against the background of the above-described changes, then there is no need to worry, since it is quite possible that he needs to take more fluids.

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Brown urine as a symptom of disease

Very often, deviations in urine color from the norm indicate the development of a certain disease. Normally, biological fluid has a yellow color, which is determined by the concentration of substances dissolved in it.

Changes in urine color in various diseases:

Color	Pathological conditions	Cause
Brown	Hemolytic anemia	Urobilinogenuria
	Nephrolithiasis, renal infarction	Hematuria (fresh blood)
	Lead anemia	Uroporphyrinuria
	Acute glomerulonephritis and exacerbation of chronic glomerulonephritis	Hematuria (altered blood)
Whitish	Fatty degeneration and decay of renal tissue	Lipurias, pus, phosphate crystals
Dark yellow	Congestive kidney, edema, burns, diarrhea, vomiting, toxicosis, feverish conditions	Increased concentration of coloring agents
Pale yellow	Diabetes mellitus and insipidus, renal glucosuria, renal failure	Low concentration of coloring agents
Black	Acute hemolytic kidney	Hemoglobinuria
	Alkaptonuria	Homogentisic acid
	Melanosarcoma	Melanin
Greenish-yellowish	Mechanical jaundice	Bilirubinuria

The disorder may be caused by the patient's age. Thus, in patients over 50 years of age, brownish impurities are possible due to prostate adenoma, kidney stones and bladder stones. In many women, the deviation appears against the background of infectious lesions of the genitourinary tract. Another factor affecting the color of the fluid is increased physical activity.

Light brown urine

Light brown urine most often indicates urinary tract infections. Patients complain of abdominal pain, a constant desire to urinate, increased sweating, and a strong smell of discharge. If blood impurities appear against this background, but the color change is not associated with food intake, then medical attention is required.

Particular attention should be paid to the color of the skin, sclera and feces, if they have a yellow tint, this indicates liver disease and requires hospitalization. The deviation occurs due to the action of drugs, certain products and food dyes. Chronic intoxication with harmful substances and poisoning can also affect the color of the biological fluid.

Brown cloudy urine

Cloudy, brown urine is a sign of a pathology that requires medical attention.

Main reasons for rejection:

• Alkaptonuria – during urination, hemogentisic acid is released, which darkens in the air and makes the liquid cloudy.
• Elevated levels of bile pigments.
• Use of medicinal products.
• Pyuria, that is, the release of large amounts of lipuria and phosphates.
• Phosphaturia is the detection of magnesium phosphate and calcium phosphate salts in the urine.

With stones and sand in the kidneys, urine also becomes cloudy, as it contains blood impurities. This happens because solid elements, passing through the urinary tract, damage them. Tumors of the genitourinary system and infections are another cause of the defect. If urine remains cloudy for several days, then it is imperative to seek medical help.

Dark brown urine

The dark brown biological fluid excreted by the kidneys most often acquires this color due to the products consumed the day before. For example, beans, rhubarb, cherries and food with artificial colors change the color of urine. In this case, there is no reason to worry, since it is enough to change the diet and everything will return to normal. Darkening is caused by some medications. For example, antimalarial drugs, antibiotics and laxatives. After discontinuing the medication, the color returns to normal.

The pathological nature of the deviation may be associated with such diseases as: hepatitis, acute glomerulonephritis and cirrhosis. Kidney dysfunction leads to the organ being unable to remove waste and excess fluid, making its color dark. Infectious diseases, kidney stones, prostate adenoma, bladder stones are other reasons that provoke a change in the shade of urine.

Do not forget about recent bacterial and viral infections, which also affect the color of biological fluids excreted by the body. This pathology is called post-infectious glomerulonephritis and occurs in both adults and children. The pathology can be caused by family history and increased physical activity. In any case, if you experience pain or discomfort against the background of these changes, you should consult a doctor and take tests to check the condition of the body.

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Detection of brown flakes in urine

The presence of brown flakes in urine most often indicates an inflammatory kidney lesion. The pathology can be considered as an independent disease or a complication due to prostate cancer, hyperplasia, acute renal failure, gynecological diseases or urolithiasis. But a similar defect occurs with venereal lesions, cystitis and pyelonephritis. Sometimes the presence of flakes indicates an increased protein level.

If the deviation is accompanied by pain when urinating, muscle and joint pain, gastrointestinal disorders, high temperature, painful sensations in the lumbar region, increased sweating and headaches, then urgent medical care is needed. In this case, without tests and a number of diagnostic procedures, it is difficult to establish the cause of the disease, much less eliminate it.

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Brown mucus in urine

Normally, every healthy person urinates with a small amount of mucus, which is not detected during diagnostics. Its increased content most often indicates long-term stagnation of urine or infections of the excretory system. These pathologies lead to increased production of mucus and difficulty in its drainage. That is why a small part of it is constantly excreted. But sometimes the presence of mucous formations does not have a pathological nature, but indicates incorrect collection of urine for research and requires re-testing.

Most often, women face the problem of mucus in the biological fluid produced by the kidneys. This may indicate pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, gynecological lesions, and even pregnancy. During pregnancy, the presence of mucus indicates an inflammatory process, which without proper treatment can cause a miscarriage or premature birth.

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Brown Urine Diagnosis

To diagnose brown urine, you need to take tests. This is a standard urine and blood test for biochemistry.

• Urine analysis – allows you to determine the level of red blood cells and increased protein content. These values indicate disturbances in the excretion of metabolic products, infections and bacteria.
• Blood test – determines the level of urea nitrogen (toxins) and creatinine. With its help, it is possible to detect elevated levels of liver enzymes and diabetes.
• Other studies – are assigned depending on the results of the above-described tests. The main reason for continuing diagnostics is the presence of red blood cells.

Laboratory testing allows for the evaluation of microscopic, chemical and physical characteristics of the fluid. Particular attention should be paid to its collection, since the accuracy of the analysis results depends on compliance with all rules.

If deviations have been identified, then the brown tint of urine may indicate: kidney disease, tumors, diseases of the bladder and prostate gland, pregnancy, diabetes, toxic intoxication and other pathologies.

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Treatment for brown urine

Brown urine does not always require treatment. So, if the deviation arose due to the consumption of certain foods or the use of medications, then it is enough to change the diet and stop taking medications, and the color will normalize. But if the changes are of a pathological nature, then after diagnosis, the patient is given appropriate treatment.

• Kidney disease is treated with medication; patients are prescribed a course of long-acting drugs and a special diet.
• Diseases of the female reproductive system - depending on the type of disease, the appropriate therapy is selected. If these are tumors and malignant lesions, then the patient will undergo a course of chemotherapy.
• Diseases of the male reproductive system - the principle of treatment is the same as for lesions of the female reproductive system. In men, urine color disorders most often appear with prostatitis, alcohol abuse and smoking.

The most effective way to get rid of brown urine is to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Particular attention should be paid to the hygiene of the genitals. This largely concerns men, since due to the penetration of microbes into the prostate, the excreted biological fluid acquires a brown tint. But regardless of the reasons that caused the deviation, timely medical attention will help maintain health.

Prevention of brown urine

Prevention of brown urine is necessary to prevent the occurrence of dangerous diseases. So, before using any medications, you should carefully read the instructions and ask your doctor about possible changes in urine color. To prevent diseases that cause deviations, it is recommended to perform the following procedures:

Urinary tract infections

• Urinate at the first urge to urinate and immediately after sexual intercourse.
• Drink more fluids.
• After urinating, wiping should be from front to back.
• Kidney stones
• Limit your intake of salt, spinach, rhubarb and protein.
• Drink more water.

Cancer of the kidneys and bladder

• Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Drink more water.
• Maintain a normal weight.
• Maintain physical activity and a healthy diet.
• Avoid exposure to toxins and hazardous chemicals.

In addition, it is necessary to promptly treat any inflammatory and infectious diseases. Since they are the ones that most often provoke disorders of the excretory system.

Brown Urine Prediction

The prognosis for changes in urine color depends on the reason for them. If this is caused by diet, then it is worth reviewing the foods consumed. If the deviation is caused by medications, it is enough to stop taking them and the color of the liquid will return to normal. But if the defect is caused by a serious disease, then ignoring it is a danger to life, therefore it has a negative prognosis.

Brown urine is a common occurrence for both adults and children. Many reasons and factors provoke its appearance. If it is accompanied by additional painful symptoms, you should seek medical help. Timely diagnostics will help identify and eliminate any pathology, while normalizing the color of urine.