It’s common to find mucus in your urine. It is typically thin, transparent, or cloudy or off-white. While these colors usually represent typical discharge, yellowish mucus can signal a health problem.
Urine can tell you a lot about your health. The color, smell, and clarity can signify whether you’re in good health or if you’re developing an illness. Substances in your urine — like mucus — can clue you in on possible health issues too.
It’s common to find mucus in your urine. But it’s important to know what symptoms to watch for and take note of any unusual changes. Keep reading to learn more about why mucus may be in your urine and when you should see your doctor.
Mucus travels along your urinary tract to help wash out invading germs and prevent possible issues, including urinary tract infection.
You may see that the amount of mucus, or discharge, in your urine changes sometimes. That isn’t uncommon.
However, you should speak with a doctor if there is more mucus than usual or if it is no longer clear, white, or off-white.
Some women may experience mucus more often than other groups. That’s because menstruation, pregnancy, birth control medications, and ovulation may make mucus thicker and more obvious. This thicker mucus can appear to be coming from the urine when, in fact, it’s often from the vagina.
How is this treated?
Unless you’re experiencing unexpected changes in your urine lasting beyond a day or two, no treatment is necessary.
If you’re experiencing changes in urine color or amount, you should speak with a doctor. They can assess your symptoms and diagnose any underlying condition. Once a diagnosis is made, they can work with you to treat the underlying cause.
A UTI is a common infection of the urinary tract system. It’s often caused by bacteria. Although UTIs can occur in both males and females, they’re more common in girls and women. That’s because women’s urethras are shorter than men’s, and bacteria have less distance to travel before starting an infection.
How is this treated?
Bacterial UTIs are treated with prescription antibiotics. You should also drink more fluids during your treatment to help flush your urinary tract system to prevent bacteria from spreading.
If oral medications aren’t successful or if your symptoms become more severe, a doctor may recommend intravenous antibiotics.
Although STIs can cause a variety of symptoms, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the
How is this treated?
Prescription antibiotics are used to treat both gonorrhea and chlamydia. Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments won’t be effective, nor will lifestyle or dietary changes. Your partner must be treated as well.
Practicing safe sex can help you prevent future STI infections. This can also help prevent STI transmission to a partner.
IBS is a digestive disorder that affects the colon.
It can lead to thick mucus in the digestive tract. This mucus may leave your body during a bowel movement. In many cases, mucus in urine is the result of mucus from the anus mixing with urine in the toilet.
How is this treated?
IBS is a chronic condition, and treatment focuses on symptom management.
A doctor may recommend the following dietary changes:
- eliminating foods that can cause excess gas and bloating, such as broccoli, beans, and raw fruits
- eliminating gluten, a type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley
- taking fiber supplements to ease chronic constipation
Some medications are also used to treat this condition. They include:
- OTC or prescription anti-diarrheal medicine to control bouts of diarrhea
- antispasmodic medicines to stop spasms in the intestines
- antibiotics if you have an overgrowth of unhealthy gut bacteria
Kidney stones are deposits of minerals and salts that form in your kidneys. If the stones stay in your kidney, they won’t cause any symptoms.
But if the stones leave your kidney and pass down the urinary tract, it may cause mucus to appear in your urine. Your urinary tract may produce more mucus in an effort to move the stone through the tract and out of the body.
How is this treated?
Not all kidney stones require treatment. A doctor will encourage you to drink more fluids in order to help pass the stone quickly. Once the stone passes, your symptoms should subside.
In cases of larger kidney stones, a doctor may use extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy to break up the stone. This allows the smaller pieces to move through the tract more easily. Very large stones may require surgery.
Mucus in urine can be a sign of bladder cancer, but this
If mucus in urine is a sign of cancer, it may be accompanied by other symptoms like blood in the urine, abdominal pain, or weight loss. What’s more, these symptoms are tied to many other conditions.
The only way to know if your symptoms are a sign of cancer or another serious condition is to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
If you notice excess mucus in your urine, make an appointment to see your doctor. Some mucus is fine, but a lot may be a sign of an underlying health concern.
A doctor can determine if your symptoms are a result of something less serious and treatable, such as an infection. They can also decide if the symptoms warrant further investigation.