What Causes Mucus In The Urine? | Urinary Tract Issues medical answers | Body & Health Conditions center

Overview

Mucous is a thin and transparent substance when found in urine and a small amount of the product being present is no cause for concern.

If there's enough mucous in urine to cause the bodily fluid to become cloudy, have an off-white appearance, or if there's yellow mucous present then this may indicate the presence of an underlying medical condition.

Causes

The following are possible causes for the presence of mucous in urine.

Normal discharge

Mucous in the urinary tract is normal and the substance has an important function. The bladder and urethra naturally create mucous which travels along the urinary tract to collect and transport any foreign microorganisms out of the urinary system.

Younger females may have an increased amount of mucous present in the urine since menstruation, ovulation, the use of hormonal contraceptives, and pregnancy all cause an increased production of the substance.

If there are no other obvious changes in the urine and no other symptoms experienced by the affected individual, then no further management of this situation is necessary.

Sexually transmitted diseases

Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the two most likely sexually transmitted diseases to result in excess mucous being produced by the urogenital tract, especially in males.

Gonorrhea can cause a yellow/green discharge with painful urination and pelvic pain or discomfort. Females may also complain of vaginal bleeding that occurs between their periods.

Chlamydia may cause a white/cloudy discharge that also causes a burning sensation when urinating. Males will complain of testicular swelling and/or pain and females of abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Sexually transmitted diseases can only be managed with prescription antibiotics and the patient, as well as their sexual partners, need to be treated.

Urinary tract infection

A urinary tract infection is a very common infection that affects females mainly. The reason for this is due to the much shorter urethra that invading organisms need to travel through to get to the bladder.

Also, females who are sexually active are more likely to develop a urinary tract infection that those who are not. The chances of developing such an infection increase when sexual activities are performed with a full bladder.

Signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection include having an intense urge to urinate, experiencing a burning sensation when urinating, having to visit the bathroom on multiple occasions only to find that a small amount of urine is passed, or urine that is pink or red due to the presence of blood.

Urinary tract infections are managed with prescription antibiotics since the cause of the problem is mainly due to a bacterial overgrowth. Patients are also advised to increase their fluid intake to help flush out the invading organisms.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is a digestive disorder that affects the large intestine (colon) so it seems a bit surprising that it would result in increased mucous in the urine.

The reason for this isn't because there is increased mucous production from the urinary system but rather from the digestive tract and the mucous mixes with the urine in the toilet.

The reason this condition is mentioned is so that any affected individual is aware that increased mucous production can also come from conditions affecting other systems of the body and not only the urinary tract.