BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuUrine - abnormal colorDiscoloration of urineThe usual color of urine is straw-yellow. Abnormally-colored urine may be cloudy, dark, or blood-colored. Causes Abnormal urine color may be caused by infection, disease, medicines, or food you eat.Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.Dark brown but clear urine is a sign of a liver disorder such as acute viral hepatitis or cirrhosis, which causes excess bilirubin in the urine. It can also indicate severe dehydration or a condition involving the breakdown of muscle tissue known as rhabdomyolysis.Acute viral hepatitisHepatitis B is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Other types of viral hepatitis ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CirrhosisCirrhosis is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. It is the last stage of chronic liver disease.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article RhabdomyolysisRhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents into the blood. These substances are harmful to ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pink, red, or lighter brown urine can be caused by:Beets, blackberries, or certain food colorings Hemolytic anemia Hemolytic anemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Normally, red ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Injury to the kidneys or urinary tract Medicines Porphyria PorphyriaPorphyrias are a group of rare inherited disorders. An important part of hemoglobin, called heme, is not made properly. Hemoglobin is a protein in ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinary tract disorders that cause bleeding Urinary tract disorders that cause blee...Blood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood from vaginal bleeding Tumor in the bladder or kidneys Dark yellow or orange urine can be caused by:B complex vitamins or carotene Medicines such as phenazopyridine (used to treat urinary tract infections), rifampin, and warfarin Recent laxative use Green or blue urine is due to:Artificial colors in foods or medicines Bilirubin Medicines, including methylene blue Urinary tract infections When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider if you have:Abnormal urine color that cannot be explained and does not go away Blood in your urine, even once Clear, dark-brown urine Pink, red, or smoky-brown urine that is not due to a food or medicine What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam. This may include a rectal or pelvic exam. Your provider will ask you questions about your symptoms such as: When did you first notice a change in urine color and how long have you had the problem? What color is your urine and does the color change during the day? Do you see blood in your urine? Are there things that make the problem worse? What types of foods have you been eating and what medicines do you take? Have you had urinary or kidney problems in the past? Are you having any other symptoms (such as pain, fever, or increase in thirst)? Is there a family history of kidney or bladder cancers? Do you smoke or are you exposed to significant second hand tobacco? Do you work with certain chemicals such as dyes?Tests that may be done include:Blood tests, including liver function tests Liver function testsLiver function tests are common tests that are used to see how well the liver is working. Tests include:AlbuminAlpha-1 antitrypsinAlkaline phosphata...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound of kidneys and bladder or CT scan UltrasoundUltrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinalysis UrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine culture for infection Urine cultureA urine culture is a lab test to check for bacteria or other germs in a urine sample. It can be used to check for a urinary tract infection in adults...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cystoscopy CystoscopyCystoscopy is a surgical procedure. This is done to see the inside of the bladder and urethra using a thin, lighted tube.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine cytologyOpen ReferencesReferencesElsamra SE. Evaluation of the urologic patient: history and physical examination. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 1.Gharavi AG, Landry DW. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 100.AllVideoImagesTogFemale urinary tract - illustration The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.Female urinary tractillustrationMale urinary tract - illustration The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.Male urinary tractillustrationFemale urinary tract - illustration The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.Female urinary tractillustrationMale urinary tract - illustration The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.Male urinary tractillustrationA Closer Look Kidney stones - InDepth(In-Depth) Tests for Urine - abnormal color UrinalysisKetones urine testLeukocyte esterase urine testRelated Information Urine - bloody (Symptoms)Urinary tract infection - adults(Condition)Hepatitis B(Condition)Cirrhosis(Condition)Renal cell carcinoma(Condition)Bladder stones(Condition)Wilms tumor(Condition)Hemolytic anemia(Condition)Urinary tract infection - InDepth(In-Depth)Hepatitis - InDepth(In-Depth)Cirrhosis - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 7/1/2023 Reviewed By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Urine - abnormal colorDiscoloration of urineThe usual color of urine is straw-yellow. Abnormally-colored urine may be cloudy, dark, or blood-colored. Causes Abnormal urine color may be caused by infection, disease, medicines, or food you eat.Cloudy or milky urine is a sign of a urinary tract infection, which may also cause a bad smell. Milky urine may also be caused by bacteria, crystals, fat, white or red blood cells, or mucus in the urine.Dark brown but clear urine is a sign of a liver disorder such as acute viral hepatitis or cirrhosis, which causes excess bilirubin in the urine. It can also indicate severe dehydration or a condition involving the breakdown of muscle tissue known as rhabdomyolysis.Acute viral hepatitisHepatitis B is irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Other types of viral hepatitis ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CirrhosisCirrhosis is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. It is the last stage of chronic liver disease.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article RhabdomyolysisRhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents into the blood. These substances are harmful to ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pink, red, or lighter brown urine can be caused by:Beets, blackberries, or certain food colorings Hemolytic anemia Hemolytic anemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Normally, red ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Injury to the kidneys or urinary tract Medicines Porphyria PorphyriaPorphyrias are a group of rare inherited disorders. An important part of hemoglobin, called heme, is not made properly. Hemoglobin is a protein in ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinary tract disorders that cause bleeding Urinary tract disorders that cause blee...Blood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood from vaginal bleeding Tumor in the bladder or kidneys Dark yellow or orange urine can be caused by:B complex vitamins or carotene Medicines such as phenazopyridine (used to treat urinary tract infections), rifampin, and warfarin Recent laxative use Green or blue urine is due to:Artificial colors in foods or medicines Bilirubin Medicines, including methylene blue Urinary tract infections When to Contact a Medical Professional See your health care provider if you have:Abnormal urine color that cannot be explained and does not go away Blood in your urine, even once Clear, dark-brown urine Pink, red, or smoky-brown urine that is not due to a food or medicine What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will perform a physical exam. This may include a rectal or pelvic exam. Your provider will ask you questions about your symptoms such as: When did you first notice a change in urine color and how long have you had the problem? What color is your urine and does the color change during the day? Do you see blood in your urine? Are there things that make the problem worse? What types of foods have you been eating and what medicines do you take? Have you had urinary or kidney problems in the past? Are you having any other symptoms (such as pain, fever, or increase in thirst)? Is there a family history of kidney or bladder cancers? Do you smoke or are you exposed to significant second hand tobacco? Do you work with certain chemicals such as dyes?Tests that may be done include:Blood tests, including liver function tests Liver function testsLiver function tests are common tests that are used to see how well the liver is working. Tests include:AlbuminAlpha-1 antitrypsinAlkaline phosphata...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound of kidneys and bladder or CT scan UltrasoundUltrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinalysis UrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine culture for infection Urine cultureA urine culture is a lab test to check for bacteria or other germs in a urine sample. It can be used to check for a urinary tract infection in adults...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cystoscopy CystoscopyCystoscopy is a surgical procedure. This is done to see the inside of the bladder and urethra using a thin, lighted tube.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine cytologyOpen ReferencesReferencesElsamra SE. Evaluation of the urologic patient: history and physical examination. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 1.Gharavi AG, Landry DW. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 100.