What infections make your pee smell?

The most common infection causing foul-smelling urine is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), where bacteria multiply, making urine pungent, cloudy, and causing burning with urination, but Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) like chlamydia or trichomoniasis can also cause bad odor and discharge, while conditions like Diabetes can give a sweet smell, and even dehydration or certain foods can alter urine smell, so see a doctor if it's persistent or accompanied by fever, pain, or cloudy urine.

What STD causes strong smelling urine?

Chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as other STIs like trichomoniasis, can cause strong-smelling urine due to inflammation, infection, or associated vaginal/penile discharge, often with a foul, fishy, or ammonia-like odor, but smelly urine is also common with UTIs, dehydration, diet, and medications, so seeing a doctor for proper diagnosis and antibiotics is crucial. 

What are the 5 warning signs of a bladder infection?

Common symptoms of urinary tract infection include:

• A burning feeling when urinating.
• A strong urge to urinate that doesn't go away.
• Urinating often and passing small amounts of urine.
• Urine that looks red, bright pink or cola-colored. This can be a sign of blood in the urine.
• Pelvic pain.

What are signs of sepsis from UTI?

Signs of sepsis from a UTI (urosepsis) mean the infection is severe, adding systemic symptoms like fever, chills, rapid heart rate, confusion, fast breathing, and extreme pain/discomfort to your original UTI symptoms (burning pee, frequency, pelvic pain). It's a medical emergency requiring immediate care if you experience confusion, difficulty breathing, or can't stand, as the infection is in your bloodstream, not just the urinary tract.
 

What is mistaken for a bladder infection?

One of the most common conditions mistaken for a urinary tract infection is a sexually transmitted infection. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis may all cause burning when urinating and increased frequency. Unlike UTIs, STIs might also cause unusual discharge, itching, or pain during sexual activity.

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

What does UTI pee smell like?

Pee from a UTI often smells strong, like ammonia, sulfur, or even fishy/rotten, due to bacteria, and is usually accompanied by cloudy, bloody urine, frequent urges to go, and burning pain during urination, signaling a bacterial infection needing medical attention.
 

What is your smelly urine trying to tell you?

Smelly urine often signals dehydration (ammonia smell), but can also indicate dietary changes (asparagus, garlic), new medications, vitamin supplements (B vitamins), or infections like UTIs or STIs (foul/fishy smell). More serious causes include uncontrolled diabetes (sweet smell) or metabolic/liver issues, so see a doctor if the smell persists or is accompanied by fever, pain, or cloudy urine.
 

Can smelly urine be serious?

Smelling urine itself isn't inherently bad, but a strong, foul, or unusual odor often signals something your body needs you to notice, like dehydration (concentrated urine), a urinary tract infection (UTI), or even diabetes (sweet smell), which aren't good for you long-term. While a slight ammonia smell is normal (especially when dehydrated), persistent strong smells, particularly with fever, pain, or cloudy urine, warrant a doctor's visit as they can indicate infection or other health issues. 

What smell is urine when your kidneys are failing?

Kidney failure can make urine smell strongly of ammonia or even have a fishy or sweet, sickly scent (like chicken broth) due to the buildup of waste products and protein that healthy kidneys normally filter out. This strong odor, often accompanied by foamy urine, signals severe kidney dysfunction, often called Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and requires immediate medical attention, especially with symptoms like fatigue, swelling, or painful urination, as it indicates toxins aren't being flushed properly.
 

When to see a doctor about urine smell?

You should see a doctor for smelly urine if the odor is persistent, worsens, or comes with other symptoms like fever, chills, burning with urination, back pain, lower pelvic pain, frequent urination, blood in your urine, or confusion, as these can signal infections (UTIs), diabetes, kidney stones, or other issues needing medical attention. A sudden smell change due to diet or supplements might resolve, but lingering or severe changes warrant a visit.
 

What does chlamydia pee smell like?

Chlamydia itself often doesn't cause a distinct pee smell, but if it leads to unusual discharge, that discharge might have a foul, fishy, or pungent odor, sometimes described like pus, often accompanied by yellow/milky discharge in women or cloudy penile discharge in men, and usually a burning sensation when urinating. However, other infections (like UTIs or BV) can also cause smelly urine or discharge, so seeing a doctor for testing is crucial for an accurate diagnosis. 

What are three warning signs of chlamydia?

Symptoms of Chlamydia trachomatis infection can include:

• Painful urination.
• Vaginal discharge.
• Discharge from the penis.
• Painful vaginal sex.
• Vaginal bleeding between periods and after sex.
• Testicular pain.

What STD mimics a UTI?

Common STDs that mimic UTIs, causing symptoms like painful/frequent urination, include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis, and Mycoplasma genitalium, all leading to urethritis (urethral inflammation) with burning sensations, similar to a UTI, though STDs often present with discharge or itching too, making testing essential for proper diagnosis.
 

What cancers cause urine to smell?

Key takeaways:

Foul-smelling urine is not a symptom of cancer. The most common cause of foul-smelling urine is a urinary tract infection.

What does liver disease pee smell like?

Liver disease can make urine smell musty, sweet, or like ammonia, often accompanied by a dark yellow or brown color, due to the liver's inability to filter toxins, leading to compounds like dimethyl disulphide or methane accumulating and being excreted. This change, sometimes part of a symptom complex called foetor hepaticus, signifies a serious health issue, so it's crucial to see a doctor for proper diagnosis.
 

What are 5 signs and symptoms of a UTI?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria)
• needing to pee more often than usual.
• needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia)
• needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual.
• pee that looks cloudy.
• blood in your pee.

What does diabetic pee smell like?

Diabetic pee often smells sweet or fruity, like sugary cereal or even popcorn, because high blood sugar forces excess glucose out through the kidneys into the urine, notes WebMD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. This sweetness comes from either the sugar itself or ketones (chemicals from burning fat for energy) building up, which can also cause fruity breath, and warrants a doctor visit as it's a sign of uncontrolled diabetes, say MD Anderson Cancer Center, WebMD, and Healthline. 

What cancers mimic UTI symptoms?

Ovarian cancer doesn't cause UTIs directly, but it can mimic and overlap with UTI symptoms in ways that lead to misdiagnosis. Here's what happens: As ovarian tumors grow, they can press against the bladder. This pressure can create sensations identical to what you'd feel with a UTI: urgency, frequency, and discomfort.

What are the three early warning signs of a kidney infection?

Symptoms of a kidney infection

a high temperature. feeling or being sick. pain in your lower back or side. diarrhoea.

What else could I have if it's not a UTI?

If your urinary symptoms aren't a UTI, it could be STIs, kidney stones, Interstitial Cystitis (IC)/Bladder Pain Syndrome, yeast infections, vaginitis, prostatitis (men), enlarged prostate, vaginal dryness, irritants (soaps, perfumes), overactive bladder, or even bladder/kidney cancer in rare cases, requiring a doctor's visit for proper diagnosis via tests like urine analysis, cultures, or imaging to find the true cause.