Mucus In Urine

A mucus is a thick and slimy substance commonly found in the nose, throat, mouth, and urinary tract. It coats and moistens these areas of the body.

Being in the urinary tract, it is just normal to have a small number of mucus in the urine. However, too many mucus in the urine isn’t normal. ^{(1, 2)}

Image 1: A urine sample showing epithelial cells.
Photo Source: www.newhealthadvisor.com

Picture 2: A urine sample of a child with a large number of mucus.
Image Source: upladdy.com

 

Photo 3: A urine sample of a patient that appears cloudy, which is indicative of excess amount of mucus.
Picture Source: cdn.grapegate.com

Image 4: A urine sample of a pregnant woman.
Photo Source: www.mypostpartumwellness.com

Symptoms

• High number of mucus in the urine during urinalysis
• Abdominal pain ⁽³⁾
• Pain and discomfort when urinating
• Fever
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Foul-smelling urine ⁽²⁾

Reasons for mucus in urine

• Urinary tract infection – It is caused by bacteria. The bacteria attack the bladder and other parts of the urinary system. One of the primary signs of UTI is discomfort in urinating.
• Irritable bowel syndrome – There is an excessive production of mucus in the large intestine. The excess mucus escapes in the urine making the urine cloudy or thick in appearance. It is what causes the urine to be thick.
• Sexually transmitted disease – The organisms that cause sexually transmitted disease stay in the urethra. Once the urine passes through it the mucus gets flushed out.
• Ulcerative colitis – It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease wherein there is an ulceration in the mucus membrane leading to an abnormal increase in the production of mucus. The excess mucus leaks in the urinary system.
• Obstruction in the urinary tract – Mucus in the urine can sometimes cause by urinary tract obstruction. Examples are patients with kidney stones. ^{(3, 4, 5, 6)}

Mucus urine test

A urinalysis or urine test is ordered to check the components of urine. It can detect whether there is too much mucus in the urine. A mucus urine test is a special procedure that is ordered if you are demonstrating the symptoms of urinary tract infection such as painful urination, frequent urination, foul smelling urine, cloudy urine, fatigue, and weakness.

During the mucus urine test, a urine sample is collected using the clean catch method. It is just normal to see small to moderate mucus threads in the urine. If there is a large amount of mucus threads in the urine, then it could mean that you are suffering from a serious health condition such as UTI, sexually transmitted disease, kidney stones, irritable bowel syndrome, and bladder cancer. ^{(6, 7, 8)}

What does squamous epithelial cells in urine mean?

Epithelial cells line the surface of the body such as the skin, urinary tract, blood vessels, and vital organs. Having a small amount of epithelial cells in the urine is normal. However, if the number grows out of control it could indicate an underlying medical condition such as kidney disease.

It could also indicate that the urine sample is contaminated. Normally, there is between 15 and 20 squamous epithelial cells/hpf. Anything more than that is abnormal. ^{(8, 9)}

Mucus in urine during pregnancy

A mucus in urine during pregnancy is common because a pregnant women is at risk for urinary tract infection. This is primarily due to the changes in the urinary tract. Anatomically speaking, the uterus sits on top of the bladder.

As it grows during pregnancy, it blocks the draining of the urine leading to an infection and overgrowth of mucus threads. ^{(2, 5, 10)}

Mucus in Urine Treatment

If there is an excess number of mucus in the urine, medical attention should be given right away. Some of the treatment modalities used by health care professionals include the following:

• Intravenous therapy – The patient is put on intravenous fluids to help flush out the mucus from the urine.
• Increase fluid intake – The patient is highly encourage to drink at least 12 glasses of water a day to promote urination thereby facilitating the flushing of mucus from the urine.
• Antibiotic therapy – the doctor will start you on antibiotic therapy to treat an underlying infection.
• Proper hygiene – It is important to observe proper hygiene so that you can avoid catching urinary tract infection. It also helps prevent the formation of mucus in the urine.

A mucus in urine in small to moderate amount isn’t really a cause of concern. However, too mucus in the urine is an indicator that something is wrong in your body. Hence, it is important to consult your doctor right away if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above.

Not treating the underlying condition in a timely manner could lead to irreversible damage. ^{(1, 4, 6, 7, 9)}

References:

1. https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/mucusinurine.html
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/mucus-in-urine
3. https://www.belmarrahealth.com/mucus-urine-common-causes-treatment/
4. https://www.doctorshealthpress.com/health-articles/mucus-in-urine-causes-natural-remedies/
5. http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Mucus-Threads-in-Urine.html
6. http://symptomscausestreatment.com/mucus-in-urine-symptoms-causes-treatment.html
7. http://www.actforlibraries.org/mucus-threads/
8. https://healthsaline.com/mucus-in-urine.html
9. https://medinfo.org/mucus-in-urine
10. https://www.ihealthblogger.com/mucus-in-urine/