Mucus in the urine in clinical medicine is considered to be a pathology, especially in cases where this element is present in large quantities. A small amount of mucus should not cause concern, however, if it exceeds the minimum values, then this may indicate that a certain inflammatory process is taking place in the kidneys or urinary tract.
Description of pathology
On the internal surfaces of the urinary tract, the process of rejection of epithelial cells may occur, which may be the result of their injury during the passage of stones or microcrystalline sediment from the kidneys, as well as the invasion of a bacterial infection into the body. In addition, chronic autoimmune inflammatory processes in the kidneys can be the cause of the presence of mucus in the urine.
Reasons
Such a pathological phenomenon is associated with inflammation in certain parts of the urinary system, which can disrupt the outflow of urine and provokeincreased mucus production by epithelial cells. Pathologies of the urinary system in some cases are of a general or local nature. In the first case, the infection penetrates into the urinary system from inflammatory foci in other organs or systems, and in the second, during the initial penetration, the infection directly affects the urinary system, most often this is facilitated by a variety of sexually transmitted diseases. What other causes of mucus in the urine are possible?
Hygiene
High levels of mucus in urine may be due to hygiene, when people violate the rules for passing laboratory tests. For example, before collecting urine for analysis, the external genitalia must be cleaned, and women must insert a cotton swab into the vagina, which helps to avoid the entry of genital secretions when urinating.
A common reason for the presence of mucus in the urine is its long retention, which provokes an increased work of cells that produce mucus. The reason for the presence of mucus in the urine in men is urolithiasis and inflammation of the prostate.
Pathogenesis
Along the entire length of the urinary tract on the inner surface there is a layer of epithelium containing special cells that secrete mucus. It is designed primarily to protect the inner layers of the urinary tract from all sorts of irritations and damage. Normally, such cells secrete a certain amount of mucus, which is necessary to reduce the level of aggressive effects of urea. The amount of mucus in the urine in this case can bedetermined only after laboratory analysis, and it is impossible to see it on your own, with the naked eye. A large number of mucous elements that can be externally detected after urination indicates, as a rule, the development of an acute pathological process in the urinary system. What does it mean - mucus in the urine? This is interesting to many, we will consider in more detail further.
Detection in mucus analysis
General urine tests are prescribed for almost every person when undergoing any diagnosis. This analysis allows you to evaluate various parameters that indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. In he althy people, mucus in the urine during the test is practically not determined. Currently, the system of pluses is used in the diagnosis. They indicate the amount of mucus in the urine test - from one to four.
If these parameters exceed the minimum allowable values, then, as a rule, a re-analysis is assigned. And in the event that the results of both analyzes coincide, or if an increase in the amount of mucus is observed, the patient is assigned other diagnostic measures to determine the nature of the underlying disease that could provoke the occurrence of this pathological phenomenon.
Symptoms
As a rule, the presence of this phenomenon is not accompanied by certain symptoms. They can appear depending on what pathology it is caused by, what characteristic manifestations of this particular disease have. this impliesthe conclusion is that the symptoms can be very diverse. For example, with inflammation of the internal organs or in the presence of stones in the urinary tract or kidneys, the main symptoms will be cutting pains in the lower abdomen or in the lumbar region.
Mucus in baby's urine
The presence of mucus in the urine of a child also indicates the occurrence of any pathological process in the urinary system. This is especially true in cases where the volume of mucous content exceeds the norm.
The appearance of mucus in the urine of children is associated with several factors. One of them may be a disease such as phimosis. A similar pathology occurs only in boys, when the glans penis is partially or completely separated from the foreskin, which provokes the accumulation of various contaminants and pathogens under it, as well as mucus, which enters the urine during urination.
Another reason for the presence of mucus in the urine of children may be poor hygiene. Before collecting urine, it is necessary to wash the genitals - for boys, wash the head of the penis and the skin around it, and for girls, wash it from front to back so that pathological bacteria from the anus do not enter the vagina.
In addition, it is recommended to take morning urine for analysis and use a special sterile container for this, which is sold in pharmacies. From the moment of urine collection to the laboratory test, no more than three hours should pass, and this biological material should be stored in a dark, cool place. Another commonthe cause of mucus in the urine of children is prolonged stagnation of urine. However, the greatest concern is a variety of infectious inflammatory processes that may be accompanied by this pathological manifestation. These include inflammation of the kidneys, ureters, or bladder.
Presence of mucus during pregnancy
The occurrence of mucus in the urine during pregnancy can be caused by some infectious diseases that are transmitted through the genital tract - these are ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, etc. These pathologies can negatively affect not only the he alth of the woman herself, but also the state of the future child, causing a variety of developmental disorders.
In addition, during pregnancy, mucus in the urine can be observed in violation of the kidneys. This is due to the fact that during this period they begin to work harder and experience greater loads.
The woman's nutrition can also be reflected in the analysis of urine during this period. For example, eating large amounts of fat leads to an increase in cholesterol levels, and urine at the same time acquires a cloudy hue, a pungent odor, and there is some mucus.
The presence of mucus in the urine of men
The presence of this pathological inclusion in the urine of men indicates primarily inflammation of the prostate gland. The reason for the presence of a large volume of mucus may be an insufficiently sterile container for collecting tests, in which bacteria begin to actively multiply.
Longabstinence from urination is another cause of pathology. And it should be noted that mucus in urine in men can be formed as a result of infection with some sexual infections after unprotected sexual contact. And what does mucus in the urine mean in women?
Women
Urine in he althy women should be light yellow in color and not have a strong odor. Some foods, such as white bread, pork, sweets, poultry, can change the color of urine and make it a rich yellow. Mucous elements may also appear from this, which may indicate an unbalanced diet. In this case, the results of the analysis do not indicate the presence of diseases or poor hygiene.
The vagina in women is located very close to the urethra, when collecting urine for analysis, particles of epithelial tissue and mucous secretions can get there. In such a case, a small amount of mucus may be noted in the urine, which is also not a pathological condition.
Mucus in the urine of a woman in large quantities usually occurs with the development of inflammatory and infectious diseases of the genitourinary organs, with stones in the kidneys and bladder. Usually, in this case, a woman has a pronounced pain syndrome in the lower abdomen, painful or unpleasant sensations appear during urination, and the temperature rises slightly. Urine with such pathological processes acquires a pungent odor and a cloudy color. This is what mucus in urine means.
Diagnostic procedures
Presencemucus in urine is diagnosed in special clinical laboratories. During the implementation of the study, many parameters are taken into account. First, the color and transparency of urine, its smell, density, pH, the amount of proteins, glucose, ketone bodies, epithelial cells, erythrocytes, fungi, s alts, mucus, etc. are evaluated.
When detecting the amount of mucus in excess of the norm, it is necessary to consult a specialist urologist who will determine the cause of such a pathology. It should be noted that the result obtained in this case is considered a preliminary conclusion, since in order to identify the causes of mucus formation, it is necessary to conduct additional tests and studies, take into account the patient's complaints, and conduct an examination.
In addition to the general analysis of urine, there are other laboratory tests that are carried out in such situations. Blood parameters are also examined and a daily urine collection is recommended.
Instrumental diagnostic methods are also used when a similar pathology occurs and are prescribed individually (depending on complaints, concomitant symptoms and manifestations of certain diseases). These diagnostic methods include: ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, organs located in the small pelvis, cystoscopy, x-ray examination with contrast, which is used to detect the presence of stones and crystalline sediment in the kidneys. How to treat pathologies that cause mucus and bacteria in the urine?
Treatment of pathology
Therapeutic procedures to eliminate mucus inurine directly depend on the results of diagnostic studies and the determination of the underlying pathological process that provoked this phenomenon.
For cystitis, antibacterial drugs are prescribed ("Nolitsin", "Augmentin", etc.), the use of a large amount of liquid in the form of water, decoctions of rose hips or oats, various herbal teas.
Inflammation in the kidneys requires great care and adherence to all appointments, as this can provoke very serious consequences in the form of a process transition to a chronic state. In case of pyelonephritis, as a rule, uroantiseptics, antibacterial and nitrofuran drugs, nalidoxic acid, Biseptol and Canephron are prescribed.
We examined such a pathology as mucus in the urine. What this means is now clear.
