The presence of mucus in the urine is usually normal, as it occurs through the urinary tract to coat and protect against infections. However, when there is an excessive amount of mucus or when changes in consistency or color occur, this may indicate a urinary or intestinal change, as sometimes mucus can come from the intestine and be removed in the urine.
The presence of mucus can cloud urine, but the most reliable way to evaluate mucus is the urine test, the SAA, because it is possible to check the amount, assess if there is another change in the urine and identify the cause. . For this test, it is important to clean the genital area and remove the first stream of urine, as it is possible to avoid changes in the result. See how the urine test is performed and how to prepare properly.
- In most cases.
- The presence of mucus in the urine is considered normal and no treatment is necessary.
- However.
- If there are other changes in your urine or if the person has symptoms.
- Your doctor may recommend the use of antibiotics or specific remedies depending on the cause.
Mucus as it moves through the urinary tract allows the removal of germs that can cause infections. This mucus is normal and is important for the protection of the urinary tract.
What to do: When the amount of mucus is moderate, has a fine and clear appearance and is not very thick, or when the urine test refers only to mucoid filaments without other signs, it is likely to be a normal situation and therefore no treatment is normally necessary.
However, if mucus appears in large amounts or has other more pronounced characteristics, such as thicker, cloudier or colored, this could mean infection or other disease. In such cases, a urologist, gynecologist, family doctor or physician should be consulted.
The most common cause of mucus in women’s urine is vaginal discharge, which does not come from urine but from the vagina and is confused due to the proximity of the two systems.
Vaginal discharge varies throughout the menstrual cycle, which can increase with ovulation and also with the use of the birth control pill. The secretion usually has no characteristic color or odour and is not thick. During ovulation, it becomes more liquid and transparent, similar to egg white.
What to do: Vaginal discharge is usually normal and does not require treatment, however, if they appear in large amounts, thick, smell or strong color and with symptoms such as itching or pain during sex, this may be a gynecological infection that should be evaluated by a gynecologist. See the types of vaginal discharge and how to treat them.
If the discharge is clear, fine, milky and not fragrant, it can be a symptom of early pregnancy, starting from the first or second week of pregnancy. Throughout pregnancy, the flow changes in consistency and thickness, becomes more frequent and in greater quantity, reaching its maximum in the last weeks of gestation, where it can also contain a pink mucus usually more sticky and in the form of gelatin, indicating that the body prepares for delivery.
What to do: In most cases, the flow is normal during pregnancy, however, any change in its quantity, consistency, color or odor may suggest a problem. If these changes occur, the woman, or the pregnant woman, should consult an obstetrician-gynecologist, to identify if there is a problem and begin treatment.
See what makes pregnancy flow and when it can be severe
When mucus comes with urine but is very abundant, colorful or thick, this can be a sign of urinary tract infection. It can be urethritis, when the infection is in the urethra, cystitis, when the infection is in the bladder, or pyelonephritis when it is in the kidneys. It is more common to have mucus in your urine in case of urethritis than in others.
Urethritis is more common in sexually active men and is often associated with sexually transmitted infections. Cystitis is more common in sexually active women or older men with an enlarged prostate.
In addition to mucus, urinary tract infections also have symptoms such as sudden urge to urinate or difficulty starting to urinate, urination too much, burning or tingling when urinating, and feeling heavi in the lower abdomen. Sometimes, in addition to mucus in the urine, blood can also be seen. See the risk of a urinary tract infection.
What to do: If a urinary tract infection is suspected, you should consult a urologist, gynecologist or general practitioner as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment, which is usually done with antibiotics. Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day, hygiene from front to back, urinating after sex and avoiding unprotected sex, helps complete treatment and prevent other urinary tract infections.
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can lead to excessive mucus production, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. In gonorrhea, mucus is yellowish or greenish, similar to pus, while in chlamydia it is yellowish white and thicker.
These diseases have symptoms similar to urinary tract infections, such as pain or burns when urinating and abdominal discomfort, but it is also common to experience pain during intimate contact, bleeding between menstruation in women and men, there may be inflammation of the skin of the penis and swelling of the testicles. See in more detail the symptoms that may indicate an STI.
What to do: When the first symptoms appear, you should go to the urologist or gynecologist, to be able to correctly diagnose and start treatment, which involves the use of antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria responsible for STIs. As these diseases are transmitted during sex, it is important to use condoms to prevent them and that the sexual partner is also evaluated by a doctor for treatment, because if the bacteria is not eliminated in both people, it is still transmitted and causes infection, even after treatment.
The presence of kidney stones most of the time does not bring any symptoms, as they are removed by urine naturally. However, there are situations in which the stones, once removed, become trapped in the urinary tract, causing the kidney to produce mucus to try to unlock the system.
In addition to mucus in the urine, stones trapped in the ducts cause other symptoms, which can range from milder, such as frequent urge to urinate or pain, to the so-called kidney attack, with severe pain in the side of the back. , nausea or vomiting and even blood in the urine. Here’s how to tell you if you have kidney stones.
What to do: As soon as the first symptoms of kidney stones are felt, it is important to go to the urologist to start appropriate treatment, which varies depending on the size of the calculation. If it is very large, surgery is recommended, but if the calculation is small, it may be enough to drink a lot of water. Depending on the degree of pain, the urologist may also indicate a pain reliever.
Although rare, mucus is also possible in the urine due to bladder cancer. However, in this case, mucus is accompanied by other signs and symptoms such as blood in the urine, difficulty and pain when urinating, need to urinate more frequently, abdominal pain in addition to weight loss for no apparent reason and generalized fatigue.
What to do: When these symptoms appear, especially weight loss and tiredness, it is necessary to quickly seek the advice of a urologist because in addition to being a serious situation, the sooner the cancer is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chances of recovery. Learn how to identify and treat bladder cancer.
In some intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome, there may be excessive production of mucus in the intestine, which is eliminated in the stool.
When mucus is removed in the stool, especially in the woman, due to the proximity between the urinary and anal openings, it may appear to come out into the urine, as it is mixed in the glass or appears in the urine test, if a proper cleaning is performed. is not done before urinating in the glass.
What to do: If you suspect bowel changes, it is recommended that you consult a gastroenterologist to make the diagnosis and start treatment. Depending on the cause, treatment may be done with medications that delay the progression of the disease or others to control diarrhea, as well as vitamin supplements and the adoption of a diet to prevent fatigue and anemia.
It is important to see your doctor when you notice that a large volume of mucus is released into your urine and that in addition to this mucus, you experience pain when urinating, lumbalgia, dark and smelly urine, swelling of the genitals or high, in the case of women.
It is important to pay attention to aspects of urine, as even dehydration can be noticed from your observation. See what the common urinary changes are.