Foamy urine

Occasional foaming urine is normal as various factors, such as the speed and pressure of urination, can influence. However, if this condition recurs continuously over time, it is essential to see a doctor to carry out the appropriate tests.

Usually, the doctor orders a urinalysis to determine if there are elevated levels of protein in the urine . If the result is positive, he will request additional clinical tests to find the cause of the problem.

What does it mean to pee with foam?

In the vast majority of causes, foamy urine does not indicate a serious health problem. In many cases the cause is found in the simple fact of resisting the urge to urinate, so that when doing so, the urination comes out with great force and pressure, thus generating foam.

Why am I peeing with foam?

The reasons why the urine foams can be very diverse, from benign to worrying to consult a doctor immediately. If you have a little foam in your urine it is completely normal, do not worry.

But when you urinate with foam , whether it is white or another strange color that you have never seen, you will have to see your doctor urgently because the cause can be serious.

Urinate hard and foam

Once the bladder is full and it is held for a long period of time to avoid going to the bathroom, at the moment the urine is made it comes out with great force , thus generating foam . In this case, it disappears after a few minutes.

A good trick to check if this is really the cause or not is to wait a few minutes before flushing the toilet . If the foam formed disappears, the reason is effectively resisting the urge to urinate.

The truth is that this habit is very common, although it carries a series of health risks. Doing so regularly can lead to diseases such as cystitis , urinary tract infection, or even an enlarged bladder.

Dehydration

Another cause that explains the presence of little or a lot of foam in the urine is dehydration . A relatively common situation in the elderly and children, especially during the summer season when high temperatures are frequent.

Experts point out that it is essential to drink between two and two liters of water daily for proper hydration of the body. It is also advisable to consume foods with a high water content, such as certain fruits and vegetables.

Protein in urine

The presence of protein in the urine can also explain this condition. There are several reasons why protein can accumulate in the urine: high intensity physical exercise, abuse of protein supplements and diseases such as hypertension and diabetes .

This condition requires medical treatment . It is diagnosed by a urine test and, if the excessive presence of protein in the urine is confirmed, the patient is in the hands of a nephrologist to evaluate the cause and determine the most appropriate treatment.

Urinary infection

When bacteria enter the bladder it can cause foamy urine . In general, if there is a urinary infection, this condition is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain or burning when urinating , a marked increase in the frequency of urination, and even the presence of blood in the urine.

Presence of seminal fluid

After sexual intercourse, it is common for a certain amount of semen to remain in the urinary tract of the man, which is expelled through the pee. To avoid the risk of infections, it is advisable to clean the urinary tract after sexual intercourse.

Presence of cleaning products in the toilet

Sometimes the cause of foamy urine is as simple as the presence of cleaning products in the toilet , in which case there is no type of health problem. A good way to check if this is really the cause is to urinate into a clean container.

Proteinuria in urine

Proteins are present in the blood, the main one being called albumin . Proteins have a large selection of functions in the body: development and maintenance of the bone and muscular system, prevention of infections, control of the volume of fluids present in the blood … The kidneys are responsible for eliminating excess fluid and waste and maintaining the proteins and other nutrients.

Thus, when the kidneys do not function normally, they can allow the passage of a little albumin, which is expelled to the outside through the urine. That is why it is considered that the presence of proteins in urination can be an early sign of a disorder that affects the renal system.

There are a number of risk factors that favor the development of proteinuria: diabetes, high blood pressure, and a family history of kidney disease.

The most common symptoms of this disorder are foamy urine and swelling in certain areas of the body such as the hands, feet, face and abdomen.

Diagnosis and treatment of foamy urine

The diagnostic test for proteinuria is a urinalysis, which assesses the amount of albumin in urination compared to creatinine levels. This value is called the albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and if it is higher than 30 mg / g it may indicate some kidney disease.

Proteinuria is a relatively common disorder in people with diabetes and hypertension, so it is essential to determine whether or not these diseases are controlled.

Foamy urine in pregnancy

There is a false belief that foamy urine is one of the main symptoms of pregnancy . Nothing could be further from the truth. This type of urine can be a clear indication of the presence of protein in the urine, one of the main signs of pre-enclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a disorder typical of the gestational period characterized by elevated blood pressure. If not properly diagnosed and treated, it can lead to seizures, which is life-threatening for both mother and baby.

There are a number of risk factors that increase the risk of developing pre-enclampsia : new mother, family history, multiple pregnancy, hypertension before pregnancy, and obesity.

Control urine color

In addition to the appearance of urine, in this case with foam, you also have to pay special attention to its color.

• Transparent : when the color of the urine is clear almost like water, the most common cause of this condition is an excess of hydration. In the vast majority of cases it is not a serious health problem.
• Pale yellow : it is the usual color of urine when the body is properly hydrated and there is no type of problem in the renal system.
• Brown : the urine of brown color can respond to a situation of dehydration to a disease that affects the liver. The reason is that some bile salts that should be expelled from the body through the feces, end up mixing with the urine.
• Red : although sometimes red urine is due to the consumption of certain foods, it can also indicate the presence of blood in urination.

Conclusion of foam in urine

Urine provides information of great value to know what the state of health is at the body level, especially in relation to the renal system. When the urine is foamy , in the vast majority of cases it is not due to a serious health problem, but it is important to pay attention to it and check whether or not it repeats continuously over time.