Normally, human urine has practically no odor and is excreted from the body by one and a half to two liters per day. If a person used strong coffee, garlic, horseradish and any other spices / products with a pronounced flavor, then in the first two urinations after this urine can acquire a characteristic aroma - nothing pathological in this. But sometimes it is noted that urine acquires a pronounced ammonia flavor - it can be associated with pathological and physiological processes occurring in the body.
Urine smells of ammonia - what does it mean?
As a rule, the pronounced ammonia smell of urine is noted against the background of its dark color, but it is due to the prolonged retention of urine in the bladder. In general, urine contains in itself all the products of metabolic processes occurring in the human body - they are excreted together with urine. Ammonia is present in the body of each person - it is a combination of hydrogen and nitrogen, which takes a direct part in the dissolution of amino acids and provides a normal acid-base balance. Amino acids enter the body together with proteins( this is their component component), then under the influence of ammonia, various processes take place in them, resulting in the formation of urea - a substance that is part of the urine precipitate.
Some patients describe it as a scent of ammonia, and this is due to the fact that the drug contains ammonia.
Physiological causes of
Various factors can become the reasons for this condition, and much depends on the person's age.
Children
The baby has clear urine and has no smell at all. As a child grows up, they begin to enter into the menu a variety of products and parents immediately begin to note that the urine of the child has become more yellow and has a smell - especially it is noticeable in the event of urine falling on any tissue / diaper.
Reasons why urine smells ammonia in children can become:
- consumption in large quantities of carbohydrate and protein foods;
- insufficient intake of useful substances into the body of the child - for example, if its menu does not differ in variety;
- dehydration of the body and for this is not necessarily finding a child in the desert - this can happen against the backdrop of any pathology accompanied by high temperature;
- frequent use of food products, which contain chemical components - flavor enhancers, dyes, fragrances, preservatives and so on.
Note: the appearance of ammonia smell of urine in the child - the reason for contacting the pediatrician. Not always the cause of this phenomenon is only the factors listed above( physiological).
Adults
For physiological reasons for the appearance of an odor of ammonia in adults it is possible to attribute:
- just before the appearance of a characteristic smell, people used spices / products with specific flavors / flavors - this can be attributed to horseradish, garlic, asparagus and so on;
- had a forced urinary retention - the man had to endure by forcibly holding urine in the bladder;
- the use of water throughout the day has greatly decreased.
Pregnant
Urine during pregnancy can smell ammonia for the following physiological reasons:
- a day consumes too little water;
- such an organism "gives" this reaction to the use of vitamin complexes and certain medications;
- in the food products / dishes with original and strongly pronounced aroma were used.
Pathological causes of
This phenomenon is not only some kind of temporary failure in the body, which is easy enough to correct. Often, the ammonia flavor of urine is a sign of the progression of pathological processes.
There is no difference in age categories - the smell of ammonia in the urine can be present against the background of the following diseases:
- Urethritis. This inflammation of the urethra, which is accompanied by pain and burning immediately at the time of urinary retention, light pain in the lower abdomen. Urethritis can be infectious and bacterial, but in any case, the smell of ammonia will be present - urine is unable to remove all the slags, the concentration of urea in it is increased.
- Cystitis. This term doctors call the inflammatory process in the bladder, accompanied by intense pain in the lower abdomen and discomfort during urination. In some cases, cystitis occurs against the background of taking certain medications - they just irritatingly affect the walls of the bladder. Urine not only smells strongly of ammonia, but also has a characteristic "pharmacy" flavor.
- Diabetes mellitus. The urine of the patient contains a large number of ketone bodies, which give the urine an ammonia flavor. And the reason for this is dehydration of the body - in principle, a normal state for diabetics.
- Kidney disease. We are talking about kidney failure, pyelitis, pyelonephritis. The cause of ammonia odor in this case is banal - urine is retained in the kidneys and bladder, slags from the body are not completely removed, since the kidneys are not working within the limits of the norm.
In men,
All the above pathological causes of the appearance of a smell of ammonia in the urine are characteristic of men. But the phenomenon under consideration can be present also in case of progression of diseases of the prostate gland - adenoma or prostatitis. In these diseases, the size of the prostate gland increases, which leads to problems with urination - urine is too long in the bladder, which causes an increase in the level of urea in it.
In pregnant women
If a pregnant woman consumes fluids within normal limits and the ammonia smell of urine persists, then this can be evidence of metabolic disorders, resulting in the accumulation of acetoacetic acid in the body. Against the background of such violations, a woman will be disturbed by regular dizziness, lowering of blood pressure and weight loss.
Reason to consult a doctor
If the children's urine smells strongly of ammonia, then parents should focus on this. It is necessary to understand whether the food schedule is properly constructed, whether the baby receives enough vitamins and trace elements, how much liquid he consumes per day. Control test: parents should understand how long the smell of ammonia in the urine stays on diapers and things - if it disappears in a few hours or 1 day, then it's only necessary to turn to the pediatrician - an expert will help correct the diet and drinking regimen. If the aroma of ammonia on the tissues lasts for 3 days or more, this can mean the presence of a pathological process in the body - you need to immediately seek qualified help.
Adults should consult a doctor if the smell of ammonia in the urine appears against the background of periodic pain in the waist and lower abdomen, discomfort during urination and rising body temperature, a constantly present feeling of thirst.
The doctor, when referring to the patient with the complaints described, will necessarily collect an anamnesis of life and illness, listen to complaints and ask him to describe his state of health. Then the patient will be sent for a full examination - laboratory tests of urine and blood, ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs and kidneys with urinary tracts, computed tomography of the urinary system. Only after this, the final diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed - in each case it will be individual.
The smell of ammonia in the urine of an adult can be a sign of minor physiological failures in the body - this state is easy to adjust and normalize the kidneys. But often ammoniacal aroma is the first symptom of the progression of serious pathological processes, therefore, a visit to the doctor is a prerequisite.