Urine Odor

Urine Odor

Urine odor refers to the smell of your urine. It varies; healthy urine typically doesn’t have a strong smell if you’re hydrated.

Causes

Most urine odor changes aren’t a sign of disease and resolve quickly. Some foods and medicines, including vitamins, can affect urine odor. For example, asparagus causes a distinct odor.

Foul-smelling urine may be due to bacteria. Sweet-smelling urine can indicate uncontrolled diabetes or a rare metabolic disease. Liver disease and certain metabolic disorders may cause musty-smelling urine.

Conditions that can cause urine odor changes:

• Bladder fistula
• Bladder infection
• Dehydration (concentrated urine smells like ammonia)
• Poorly controlled diabetes (sweet-smelling urine)
• Liver failure
• Ketonuria

Some foods and medicines (asparagus, certain vitamins) can cause urine odor, even in small amounts. Sometimes, it points to a medical condition or disease:

• Bacterial vaginosis
• Bladder infection
• Cystitis
• Dehydration
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Gastrointestinal-bladder fistula
• Kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Maple syrup urine disease (genetic)
• Metabolic disorder
• Phenylketonuria (PKU) (genetic)
• Type 2 diabetes (uncontrolled)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

• Burning urination
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Pain in the lower belly
• Fever
• Chills
• Cloudy urine
• Foul-smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting (severe cases)

Ayurvedic Management

• Nut grass (Cyperus rotundus): May help reduce inflammation associated with UTIs.
• Coriander seeds: May help reduce burning sensation and foul smell from urine; possesses antibacterial characteristics.

Ayurvedic Medicines/Remedies (traditionally mentioned for UTI-like conditions):

• Chandanasavam
• Punarnavasavam
• Saribhadyasavam
• Chandanadi Thailam
• Guluchadi Kashayam
• Gulguluthiktakam Kashayam
• Nimbadi Kashayam
• Panchathikthakam Kashayam
• Punarnavadi Kashayam
• Patolamooladi Kashayam
• Chandraprabha Vatika
• Kaisora Gulgulu Vatika
• Sathavaryadi Gritham
• Triphala Churnam

Steps for Urine Infection Treatment in Ayurveda (for chronic UTI):

• Oral administration of medicated oils and ghee
• Steaming and other heating procedures
• Vamana (therapeutic vomiting)
• Virechana (induced purgation)
• Vasthi (medicated enema)