Foaming urine is not necessarily a sign of health problems, it could be due to a stronger stream of urine, for example. In addition, it can also happen due to the presence of cleaning products in the toilet, which end up reacting with urine and forming foam.
However, in cases where foam appears very frequently, it can indicate the presence of protein, which can be due to problems such as kidney stones, diabetes or uncompensated high blood pressure. In these cases, it is very important to consult a urologist to assess the cause and guide the most appropriate treatment. Look for other changes in urine that could indicate health problems.
Foam urine is not a sign of pregnancy, but if it occurs in a pregnant woman, it may indicate that the pregnant woman has pre-eclampsia, which is a complication that can lead to protein loss in the urine, and can also cause seizures and coma, when untreated.
1. Urinate too hard
When the bladder is very full and the person holds it for a long time, when urine is released, it can come out with a very strong stream, which can form foam. However, this type of foam usually disappears within a few minutes and is not indicative of serious problems.
What to do: A good way to find out if foam has formed from too fast or strong urine flow is to leave the pee in the toilet for a few minutes before flushing. If the foam disappears after a few minutes, no treatment is necessary.
However, it is recommended that the pee is not held back and that you go to the bathroom whenever you feel like it, as the accumulation of urine can increase the chances of urinary tract infections, kidney stones and urinary incontinence, for example. Understand why you shouldn’t hold the pee.
2. Toilet Cleaners
Some toilet cleaning products can react with urine and form foam, not indicating any type of health problem.
What to do: A good way to tell if the cleaning product is causing foamy urine is to pee in a clean container. If it doesn’t foam, it’s probably the product, but if it does, you need to see your doctor for the cause of the foamy urine.
3. Dehydration
When you drink little water or do a lot of exercise in a row, you can become dehydrated and, therefore, the urine becomes more concentrated and foamy. In addition, urine is even darker in color and may have a stronger smell. Look for other signs that can help confirm dehydration.
What to do: If you suspect that the foam has arisen from dehydration, you should drink about 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day and drink even more water when exercising.
4. Presence of protein in urine
One of the main causes of foamy urine is the presence of protein in the urine. Protein excess can occur after intense physical exercise, excessive intake of protein supplements, or it can be indicative of kidney problems, untreated high blood pressure and diabetes, for example.
What to do: The presence of protein in urine can be detected through simple urine testing, which is done by collecting the second stream of urine and sent to the laboratory for analysis. If this test is tested for protein, your doctor may recommend performing a 24-hour urine test to see how much protein is released into your urine during the day.
In addition, the doctor checks the relationship between albumin and creatinine, for example, to see if the cause is changes in the functioning of the kidneys, for example, in addition to other tests that may indicate hypertension or diabetes, for example.
5. Urinary Infection
A urinary tract infection can cause foamy urine when bacteria enter the bladder. In addition to foamy urine, other symptoms are often associated with pain or burning when urinating, frequent urination, and blood in the urine. Take our online test to see if you might have a urinary tract infection.
What to do: In order to confirm the urinary infection, it is recommended that a urine test and urine culture be performed, which is the test that aims to identify which bacteria are responsible for the infection and indicate the best antibiotic that can be indicated by the doctor for the treatment.
6. Kidney problems
The kidneys have the function of filtering the blood, resulting in the production of urine that is later eliminated from the body. Any disease or problem that affects the kidneys such as kidney infection, kidney failure, high blood pressure or kidney stones, for example, can cause foamy urine. Here are 11 other symptoms that can indicate kidney problems.
What to do: If there is suspicion of an alteration in the kidneys, one should go to a nephrologist to perform tests and identify the cause, initiating the most appropriate treatment.
7. Presence of semen in urine
The presence of foamy urine in men can also happen due to the presence of semen in the urine, however this situation is not very frequent. This situation can happen when small amounts of semen enter the urethra, which can happen as a result of prostatitis or retrograde ejaculation, resulting in foamy urine.
What to do: It is recommended to go to the urologist so that tests can be performed to identify the presence of semen in the urine and its cause, thus making it possible to indicate the most appropriate treatment.
when to go to the doctor
The foam in the urine can be considered normal if after a few minutes it disappears, however, if it remains for a long time and is accompanied by some symptoms, it is possible that it indicates illness, and it is important that the doctor is consulted. Some of these situations are the presence of stones in the kidneys or urinary system, urinary infection and the presence of a colovesical fistula.
In addition to these situations, the use of medication can cause foam in the urine and, therefore, it is important to consult the doctor to be sure that the foam is an effect of the medication and not a sign of illness.
Urine with foam could be pregnancy?
No. However, if the woman is pregnant and the presence of foam in the urine is noticed, it may be indicative of pre-eclampsia, which is a disease in which there is loss of protein in the urine and fluid retention as a consequence of the increase. of blood pressure.
If pre-eclampsia is not identified and treated, it can lead to seizures and put the life of the baby and mother at risk. Learn more about pre-eclampsia.