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Mucus in the urine
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Slime in the urine is a pathology, especially in large quantities. The slight presence of mucus in the urine should not cause concern, but if the amount of mucus exceeds the minimum values, it may indicate inflammation in the kidneys or urinary tract.
On the inner part of the urinary tract may begin the process of rejection of epithelial cells, which can occur due to trauma in the process of passage of stones or sand from the kidneys or bacterial infection. Also, the cause of mucus in the urine can be chronic autoimmune inflammation of the kidneys.
Causes of the mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine is associated with inflammatory processes in the urinary system, which can disrupt the outflow of urine and provoke increased mucus production by the cells of the epithelium.
Diseases of the urinary system can be common (the infection penetrates the urinary system from the focus of inflammation in another organ or system) or local (the primary infection affects the urinary system, as a rule, this is facilitated by venereal diseases).
Most often, a high level of mucus is associated with hygiene, when the rules of testing are violated (clean external genitalia, women need to insert a cotton swab in the vagina to avoid getting vaginal discharge during urination).
Often, the cause of mucus in the urine is a prolonged retention of urine, which provokes stasis of urine and increased work of cells that secrete mucus.
The cause of mucus in the urine in men is often inflammation of the prostate or urolithiasis.
Pathogenesis
Throughout the length of the urinary tract there is an epithelium, in which there are cells that secrete mucus.
First of all, the mucus is designed to protect the inner layer of the urinary tract from irritation. Normally, the cells secrete as much mucus as is necessary to reduce the aggressive action of urea. Slime in the urine in this case, perhaps, only after a laboratory analysis, it can not be seen with the naked eye.
A large amount of mucus that can be noticed after urinating indicates a pathological process in the urinary system.
Mucus in urinalysis
A general urine test is prescribed for almost everyone. Such an analysis allows us to determine various parameters that may indicate an inflammatory process in the body.
Slime in the urine of a healthy person in the analysis is almost not determined.
In modern diagnostics use a system of pluses - from one to four, which indicate the amount of mucus in the urine.
[9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21]
The presence of mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine, usually indicates a pathological process in the genitourinary system.
If the amount of mucus exceeds the minimum allowable values, a reanalysis is assigned. If the results of the tests coincide (or the amount of mucus has increased), diagnostic measures are appointed to identify the underlying disease that triggered the appearance of mucus.
Symptoms of the mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine is usually not expressed by any symptoms.
Depending on the underlying disease, which provoked increased mucus formation (kidney stones, inflammation of the internal organs, etc.), the person will manifest certain symptoms (pain, res).
Mucus in the urine of a child
Slime in the urine of a child, as well as an adult, should not be present (or be in the minimum amount).
The appearance of mucus in the urine can be associated with several causes, for example, with phimosis. This pathology is characteristic only of boys, with phimosis the head of the penis is not completely or partially exposed, which leads to accumulation in the foreskin of various contaminants, including mucus that gets into the urine during urination.
Also, the cause of mucus in the urine in a child may be poor hygiene. Before collecting urine, it is recommended to wash the external genitalia well (boys wash the head and skin around, girls sweep from front to back so bacteria from the anus can not get into the vagina).
It is also recommended to take morning urine for analysis and use a sterile container. From the moment of urine sampling and to the direct laboratory analysis, it should not take more than three hours to store the collected material best in a cool and dark place.
Often the cause of the appearance of mucus is the stagnation of urine. For example, if the child has suffered for a long time, then a small amount of mucus is allowed in the urine.
The most dangerous cause of mucus in the urine are infectious and inflammatory processes (inflammation of the ureters, kidneys, bladder).
Mucus in the urine of a boy
Mucus in the urine of boys often appears due to phimosis (impaired opening of the head of the penis). With such an anomaly around the head accumulate various contaminants, mucus, which when urinating can get into the urine.
Also, the cause of mucus can be inflammation of the genitourinary system (bladder, external genital organs, etc.).
The most common cause of mucous formations in the urine is incorrect collection of tests.
Mucus in the urine during pregnancy
Mucus in the urine of pregnant women can be caused by infectious diseases (ureoplasm, chlamydia, mycoplasma). Such diseases can adversely affect not only the health of women, but the state of the child.
Also, mucus in the urine can appear due to disruption of the kidneys, because in the body of a pregnant woman they begin to work hard. Nutrition of women during this period may affect the analysis of urine: the use of fat in large amounts leads to increased cholesterol, and urine becomes cloudy, there is a sharp odor and mucous inclusions.
In healthy women, urine has a pale yellow hue, odorless. White bread, sweets, pork, poultry makes the color of urine richly yellow, it acquires a characteristic smell, mucous formations may appear, indicating an unbalanced diet. In this case, the results of the tests do not indicate a specific disease or poor hygiene. The expert can advise to include in a diet more sour-milk products, milk, black bread, vegetables, porridge.
Mucus in the urine of men
Slime in the urine of men primarily indicates inflammation of the prostate.
Also, the reason for the appearance of mucus may be a non-sterile container for analysis, the bacteria in which, in a favorable environment, begin to multiply actively.
Another reason for the appearance of mucus may be prolonged abstinence from urination before taking the tests.
Mucus in the urine of women
In women, the vagina is located quite close to the urethra, from which pieces of epithelial tissue (mucosal secretions) can enter the collection of the analysis. In this case, when analyzed in urine, a small amount of mucus is detected, which is not a pathology.
Non-sterile dishes for analysis or insufficient hygienic procedures of external organs can become a source of development of bacteria that provoke the appearance of mucus.
Mucus in the urine in large quantities usually appears with infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system, stones in the kidneys or bladder.
As a rule, while a woman has a lower abdominal pain, there are unpleasant or painful sensations when urinating, the temperature rises.
Urine with infectious-inflammatory diseases gets a murky color and a sharp smell.
The norm of mucus in the urine
Slime in the urine is considered the norm, if its amount is insignificant.
Epithelium secretes mucus constantly, a small amount of which can get into the urine during urination.
The mucus in the urine
Slime in the urine in the diagnostic laboratory is usually evaluated by the system of pluses. The minimum indices of mucus (within the limits of the norm) are indicated by one plus (+), the maximum - by four.
Normally, the color of urine should be light yellow, it should be clear, do not contain protein, the density of urine should be from 1010 to 1025.
Diagnostics of the mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine is diagnosed in a clinical laboratory. During the analysis, many parameters are taken into account. First of all, the color (transparency), odor, pH, density, amount of protein, ketone bodies, glucose, erythrocytes, epithelial cells, salts, fungi, mucus and n
Modern diagnostic laboratories do not have certain standards for deciphering the results. If mucus is detected above the norm, a specialist consultation is required to help determine the cause of this pathology. It should be noted that the result obtained in this case is not a preliminary conclusion, since additional tests and examinations are needed to identify the cause of mucus appearance, identify existing complaints, and conduct an examination.
Slime in the sediment of urine
Slime in the urine is present in a healthy person (within the limits of the norm). When the permissible levels of mucus in the urine sediment are exceeded, it is possible that the inflammatory process develops in the organs of the urinary system, various pathologies (urine stagnation).
Often in the urine sediment, mucus is detected in sexually transmitted diseases, infections, poor personal hygiene, prolonged retention of urine.
[22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28]
Bacteria and mucus in the urine
Slime in the urine in small amounts is a consequence of the work of internal mucous membranes. During the collection of urine for analysis, mucus can enter the urine collection canal through the urinary tract, however, along with the mucus there may also be bacteria (due to infections, inflammatory processes, insufficient hygiene of the genitals or dirty capacity).
With inflammation, the amount of mucus and bacteria in the urine exceeds the permissible norm, which allows the doctor to suspect pathological processes, in particular, stagnant processes in the kidneys, venereal diseases.
However, the detection of urine mucus and bacteria in the urine analysis is not always associated with pathology, therefore a repeated analysis is usually prescribed. In this case, the doctor will recommend collecting urine, adhering to certain rules for collecting tests.
[29]
Protein and mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine and a high level of protein can be a consequence of the functional state of the body (after physical overstrain or hypothermia) or inflammatory processes.
Increase in the norm of protein in the urine is associated with kidney tuberculosis, inflammatory processes in the bladder, tumors and other kidney diseases. Also, the protein in the urine in high concentrations is observed in hypertension, diseases that occur with a significant increase in temperature, heart failure.
Leukocytes and mucus in the urine
Leukocytes are necessary to neutralize the action of poisonous substances, the destruction of viruses, bacteria. Also, these cells are essential in the fight against malignant tumors.
Mucus in the urine and leukocytes above the norm require additional diagnosis, to establish the cause.
Normally, urine should have a small amount of white blood cells (for men, women and children, the norm is different).
Elevated levels of leukocytes can be associated with problems in the genitourinary system (inflammation, malignant tumors, tuberculosis, kidney stones, infections).
Salt and mucus in the urine
In urine there are different salts, in fact it is a solution of different salts.
The greatest danger is represented by salts of magnesia and calcium phosphate, which provoke the appearance of phosphate stones. It should be noted that in women the salt of potassium phosphate is more common than in men.
Often, mucus in the urine and salt appear due to neurogenic disorders, unbalanced nutrition, infections of the genitourinary system, metabolic disorders.
Oxalates are almost always detected in urinalysis. The cause of their appearance can be both different diseases and diet.
The high content of oxalate in urine is a pathology. Oxalates are excreted by the body in a natural way, but there may be conditions in which excretion of salts is difficult (for poisoning, diabetes).
Mucus and oxalate in urine
Oxalates are oxalic acid salts that are formed in the body as a result of a biochemical reaction or are supplied by food. The human body can excrete up to 40 mg of oxalate in 24 hours, which is the norm.
Mucus in urine and oxalate norms indicate pathological processes, in particular a specialist may suspect urological diseases.
Oxalates are of several types: sodium, calcium, potassium, ammonium.
Oxalates in the urine can indicate a metabolic disorder or disease.
Oxalates may appear in the urine due to excessive consumption of asparagus, cocoa, sorrel, beets, diabetes mellitus (improper treatment increases the risk of oxalate), urolithiasis, metabolic disorders.
Blood and mucus in the urine
Mucus in the urine with blood impurities always indicates a serious disorder in the body.
In the case of such tests, the specialist immediately appoints an additional examination in order to identify the pathology as early as possible and start treatment.
Red color of urine can be for a variety of reasons, more than 100 diseases can lead to the appearance of blood impurities.
Blood impurities can be a signal that a person needs urgent surgical care or points at chronic inflammatory processes.
Usually, blood appears due to urolithiasis, inflammatory kidney diseases. With such human disturbances, you may be concerned about temperature, soreness when urinating, etc.
Blood in the urine can also be associated with the development of a cancerous tumor in the tissues of the urinary tract (in the urine there are blood clots), trauma to the organs of urination, inflammation of the bladder.
Rarely, blood in the urine may appear after taking some medications or oral contraceptives.
Mucus and erythrocytes in the urine
Erythrocytes are the main cells of the blood. Normally, the urine can be from 0 to 3 cells (depending on the sex).
Mucus in the urine and an elevated level of red blood cells can be associated with kidney, prostate, bladder, ureter, urethra and other disorders.
In women, a high level of erythrocytes is due to menstruation or adenomyosis, so the specialist always appoints a second analysis with a catheter. If in this case the level of erythrocytes remains the same, the urinary system is diagnosed. If the urine analysis, taken with the help of a catheter, did not show deviations from the norm of red blood cells, then specialists can presume the diseases of the genital organs.
Mucus and crystals in the urine
Mucus in the urine and salt crystals appear due to kidney diseases (including genetic predisposition), an unbalanced diet (excessive consumption of protein foods), metabolic disorders (including hereditary diseases), changes in acid-base urine.
The precipitation of salt crystals in the sediment can indicate possible diseases of the urinary system or be one of the first stages of stone formation.
Brown mucus in the urine
Brown mucus in the urine can appear as a result of damage to the parenchyma of the kidneys (poisoning, infectious diseases, circulatory disorders, etc.).
White mucus in the urine
White mucus in the urine can be associated with the inflammatory processes of the urinary system, stagnation of urine. Provoke the appearance of mucus may be common or local causes. With local infection, bacteria penetrate the urethra and affect any organ of the urinary system, with a common infection, secondary damage to the organs of the urinary system occurs.
A lot of mucus in the urine
If the urinalysis showed mucus in the urine in large quantities, then a repeated analysis is assigned. If the presence of mucus is not associated with poor hygiene of the genitals, non-compliance with the rules for collecting tests (dirty pot, getting mucus from the vagina, etc.), the patient is assigned an additional examination that will help establish the cause of the disorder.
What tests are needed?
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Treatment of the mucus in the urine
After the mucus in urine is discovered and the cause of its appearance is revealed, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment.
With cystitis antibacterial drugs are prescribed (Augmentin, Nolitsin, etc.). Also, when cystitis is recommended to use a large amount of fluid (about 2.5 liters per day). You can drink broths of dogrose, oats, herbal teas.
Inflammatory processes in the kidneys require caution and adherence to all recommendations, because not the right treatment can lead to the development of a chronic form of the disease.
Usually prescribed uroantiseptics, nitrofuran, antibacterial drugs, nalidoksanochnaya acid, Biseptol. In combination, a herbal preparation (Kanefron) can be used.
In the formation of stones, surgical treatment is usually prescribed. When attacks of urolithiasis are prescribed antispasmodic, anesthetic drugs. Drugs that promote the dissolution of salts can also be used, however, in some cases the effectiveness of such agents is extremely low.
With inflammation of the prostate used drugs that relax the musculature of the prostate, reducing the volume of the inflamed organ. If the medication is ineffective, surgical intervention is prescribed.
Mucus in the urine is not a disease, it only indicates possible pathologies in the work of organs. If urine is found in the urine, the analysis is repeated again to rule out a possible error (for example, the appearance of mucus due to non-sterile capacity, poor hygiene, vaginal discharge, prolonged urine retention, improper preparation for the analysis, etc.).
Treatment can be prescribed only after the underlying disease has been identified, which provoked a large release of mucus.
Prevention
Slime in the urine can provoke different factors.
Before passing the analysis, some preparation is required, which will help to avoid a possible error. It is not recommended to force urine for a long time before collection of analyzes, as this causes stagnant processes and increased work of the epithelium. Also, having sex before collecting urine will lead to a lot of mucus.
Before collecting urine, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the genitals, women should close the entrance to the vagina with a cotton swab.
Collect urine in sterile dishes (it is best to buy a special container in the pharmacy), during the collection of urine do not need to touch the walls of the container.
Forecast
Mucus in the urine, as was said, is not a disease, so the predictions depend on the underlying disease, which provoked increased mucus production.
In case of vaginal discharge, non-sterile dishes for analysis, prolonged urine stagnation, the prognosis will be favorable.
When the urinary system is diagnosed, the prognosis will depend on the stage at which the disease is diagnosed, the general condition of the patient and other factors.
The presence of mucus in the urine is not always associated with the pathological processes of the urinary system. Sometimes, it is a consequence of a violation of hygiene or rules for collecting tests.
P revealing mucus in the urine is above the permissible norm, a repeated analysis is appointed, according to the results of which the expert can already assume the presence of pathologies.