What causes strong urine smell in elderly?

This condition is known as Asymptomatic Bacteriuria (ASB) or 'friendly' bacteria. These bacteria are more common in the elderly, in women and in people with diabetes or catheters. This condition is not usually treated with antibiotics.

What medical conditions cause foul smelling urine?

Sometimes, unusual urine odor indicates a medical condition or disease, such as:
  • Cystitis (bladder inflammation)
  • Dehydration.
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis.
  • Gastrointestinal-bladder fistula (abnormal connection between the intestines and bladder)


Can smelly urine be serious?

Urine often has a slight ammonia smell, especially first thing in the morning or when a person is dehydrated. Smelly urine can also be a sign of an infection, however, so if the smell does not go away on its own, or if additional symptoms develop, see a doctor.

How do you cure strong smelling urine?

Treating ammonia-smelling urine
  1. Stay hydrated. Drinking between 9–13 cups of water daily can reduce the chances of dehydration. ...
  2. Cut down on diet triggers. Anyone who consumes a lot of triggering foods can stop ammonia-smelling urine by cutting those foods out of their diet. ...
  3. Pass urine often. ...
  4. Stay clean.


What does urine smell like with liver failure?

Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine.

9 Causes of Smelly Urine | How to Fix Urine Odor | #DeepDives



What does it mean if your urine smells very strong?

When you're dehydrated and your pee gets very concentrated, it can smell strongly of ammonia. If you catch a whiff of something really strong before you flush, it might also be a sign of a UTI, diabetes, a bladder infection, or metabolic diseases.

What does diabetic urine smell like?

What Does Diabetic Urine Smell Like? One warning sign of diabetes or high blood sugar is urine that smells sweet or fruity. The sweetness comes from sugar in your urine and is a sign your body is trying to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.

What is a natural remedy for smelly urine?

Drink Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice increases the acidity of urine, which can reduce odor.

Why does my urine smell like sewage?

It's usually caused either by a UTI or an imbalance of “good” and “bad” bacteria naturally found within the body. When caused by bacteria, the bacteria will affect the urine as it sits in or passes through the bladder. This can lead to strong, sulfur-smelling urine.

What do ketones in urine smell like?

As a result, the ketone level in the blood will rise. When these ketones leave the body in the urine, the urine may smell sweet or similar to popcorn.

What does UTI pee smell like?

Pee that smells like ammonia

If you detect a hint of ammonia in your urine, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. The odor suggests that bacteria may be swimming around in your urinary system, most likely in your urethra, kidneys or bladder.

What causes strong fishy smelling urine?

Fish Odor Syndrome

Also called trimethylaminuria, this genetic condition can give your pee a fishy smell. It happens when your body can't break down trimethylamine. You end up getting rid of the compound through your pee, sweat, breath, and other fluids. It doesn't mean you're unhealthy.

Why does my pee have a strong ammonia smell?

Urine may smell like ammonia when it becomes concentrated with waste products. A variety of conditions can cause waste products to build up in urine, such as bladder stones, dehydration, and urinary tract infections. In most cases, urine that smells like ammonia can be treated with fluids or antibiotic medications.

Why does my pee smell like rotten eggs?

Description. Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotting fish, rotting eggs, garbage, or urine.

What color is diabetic pee?

A water deprivation test involves not drinking any liquid for several hours to see how your body responds. If you have diabetes insipidus, you'll continue to pee large amounts of watery (dilute), light-colored urine when normally you'd only pee a small amount of concentrated, dark yellow urine.

What are 10 warning signs of diabetes?

Here are 10 subtle signs of diabetes:
  • Frequent urination. Most people urinate four to seven times in a day. ...
  • Excessive thirst. ...
  • Extreme hunger. ...
  • Weakness/fatigue. ...
  • Pins and needles. ...
  • Blurry vision. ...
  • Itchy skin. ...
  • Slow healing wounds and increased skin infections.


What foods cause ammonia smell in urine?

8 other foods that make your pee smell
  • Brussels sprouts. If you've been snacking on Brussels sprouts wings lately, your pee is about to give you away. ...
  • Onions. Onions make you cry, and they also make your urine stinky. ...
  • Fish. Yep, eating fish could cause your urine to smell fishy, too. ...
  • Coffee. ...
  • Cumin. ...
  • Garlic. ...
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Pineapple.


What are the 5 warning signs of bladder infection?

5 Signs of a UTI
  • Frequent urination. UTIs cause a strong and persistent urge to urinate. ...
  • Burning sensation when urinating. ...
  • Pink or red urine. ...
  • Releasing small amounts of urine. ...
  • Strong smelling urine.


Do diabetics have strong smelling urine?

Diabetes: Strong sweet-smelling urine is a sign of advanced diabetes, which can be diagnosed with urinalysis. With advanced diabetes, sugar and ketones, which are normally absent, can accumulate in the urine and create a strong odor.

How can you tell the difference between a UTI and a bladder infection?

The most reliable sign of a UTI is a stinging or burning sensation with urination, though other symptoms may also occur. A bladder infection is a type of UTI that occurs specifically in your bladder. Think of it this way: Your urinary tract includes your urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys.

What is the difference between a UTI and a bladder infection?

A UTI is defined as an infection in one or more places in the urinary tract—the ureters, kidneys, urethra, and/or bladder. A bladder infection is a UTI that's only located in the bladder.

What can be mistaken for a bladder infection?

IC is often mistaken for a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection, which it is not. Some IC patients do have low levels of bacteria in their urine that don't normally qualify as a urinary tract infection and others may have atypical bacteria, such as ureaplasm.

What is a diabetic belly?

Diabetes belly fat is a serious problem that can also signal heart failure. May people are not aware that the little stubborn fat around the waist that does not easily come off is due to the insulin problem. If you have high blood sugar there is a good chance that you have a problem removing the fat around the waist.

What is silent diabetes?

“Diabetes starts as a silent disease, advancing painlessly, almost imperceptibly,” says Dr. Ferrer, who sees 25 to 30 diabetic patients per week. “It mainly attacks the small blood vessels, damaging the kidneys, eyes, and nerves.” It can also affect larger blood vessels.

What are the symptoms of diabetes in the elderly?

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes may include feeling tired, increased hunger or thirst, losing weight without trying, urinating often, or having trouble with blurred vision. You may also get skin infections or heal slowly from cuts and bruises.