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Urine odor

 

Urine odor refers to the smell from your urine. Urine odor varies. Most of the time, urine does not have a strong smell if you are healthy and drink plenty of fluids.

Causes

Most changes in urine odor are not a sign of disease and go away in time. Some foods and medicines, including vitamins, may affect your urine's odor. For example, eating asparagus causes a distinct urine odor.

Foul-smelling urine may be due to bacteria. Sweet-smelling urine may be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes or a rare disease of metabolism. Liver disease and certain metabolic disorders may cause musty-smelling urine.

Some conditions that can cause changes in urine odor include:

  • Bladder fistula
  • Bladder infection
  • Body is low on fluids (concentrated urine can smell like ammonia)
  • Poorly controlled diabetes (sweet smelling urine)
  • Liver failure
  • Ketonuria

When to Contact a Medical Professional

 

Call your health care provider if you have signs of a urinary tract infection with abnormal urine odor. These include:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Burning pain with urination
  • Back pain

 

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

 

You may have the following tests:

  • Urinalysis
  • Urine culture

 

 

References

Landry DW, Bazari H. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016: chap 114.

Israni AK, Kasiske BL. Laboratory assessment of kidney disease. In: Taal MW, Chertow GM, Marsden PA, et al, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney . 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 25.

 

        A Closer Look

         

          Talking to your MD

           

            Self Care

             

            Tests for Urine odor

             

               

              Review Date: 8/14/2015

              Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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