Cloudy White Urine

There are a number of reasons you might have cloudy white urine. Many causes are harmless and fairly minor, and will clear up by themselves. But others may be more serious.

Noticing white cloudy bits in urine is not itself necessarily a cause for concern. A milky quality to your urine is typically caused by your body sending an increase in white blood cells to fight an infection. When these white blood cells exit your body via your urine, the cells mix, and your urine appears cloudy and white.

What does it mean if your urine is cloudy?

The most common reasons for cloudy white urine are:

• a urinary tract infection (UTI), which may also cause a bad smell
• vaginitis (an infection of the vagina)
• dehydration
• diet
• pregnancy
• kidney problems
• mucus, bacteria, fat, or crystals in the urine
• certain chronic diseases
• a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• prostate problems
• excess phosphate in your diet

If you get cloudy white or milky urine repeatedly, it could be a sign of a more serious medical problem. More serious conditions that may cause white cloudy bits in urine include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, or prostate problems.

Having cloudy white urine is not necessarily a medical emergency, but it could be a symptom of a serious medical condition. This means that ignoring it could have dangerous consequences.

If you have had unprotected sex (for example, having sex without using a condom), then white and cloudy urine could be a symptom of an STI. If it is, then you should consider getting tested and treated to avoid risking long-term health problems or infecting other people.

If you’re concerned about the colour of your urine, or are repeatedly experiencing cloudy white urine, you should visit your local nurse, pharmacist, or GP for medical advice. There could very well be an underlying issue causing it, which will need to be treated.

Even if you feel no pain or have no other symptoms other than cloudy white urine, it’s still important to get medical help. This is because certain medical conditions (like gonorrhoea or chlamydia) rarely display any symptoms at all, so they are easy to miss.

If you are experiencing any form of pain, specifically around the pelvis or abdomen, or pain when you go to the toilet, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Never ignore painful symptoms that persist, as it could be a sign of something serious.

If you happen to have white cloudy urine as a one-off, with no other symptoms, and you have no concerns about your health otherwise, it’s perfectly possible that it’s not related to a specific health condition. If you have any doubts or concerns, then you should still talk to a doctor about one-off instances of cloudy urine.

Anyone can experience cloudy white urine, and one possible cause is an underlying STI. Infections like gonorrhoea and chlamydia can cause white cloudy urine in both males and females. That being said, there are certain instances where your physical sexual characteristics could be part of the explanation:

Female conditions

If you’re pregnant, you may notice your urine is cloudy with white particles. To keep you and your baby protected, your body may produce more vaginal discharge than normal during pregnancy, and this could be the cause of white cloudy urine. It’s normal to get more discharge during pregnancy, and it often appears clear or milky white. However, if the colour changes or the discharge smells unpleasant, speak to your doctor.

Other causes of cloudy white urine in females include conditions like vaginitis. This is an infection of the vagina often caused by conditions like:

• bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• yeast infections (thrush)
• trichomoniasis

It’s always best to see a doctor if you’re experiencing abnormal vaginal discharge and other symptoms like pain when you pee, to make sure you get the treatment that you need.

Male conditions

For males, infections of the prostate may cause an increase in white blood cells or pus that comes out when you pee. This can lead to urine that’s cloudy in appearance, as well as symptoms like pelvic pain. As we’ve explored, cloudy urine can be caused by a number of other conditions, but prostate problems can be serious, so it’s important to get a check up as soon as possible.

This depends on what is causing the changes to your urine.

If you think it’s possible that your cloudy urine is caused by an STI, you can order a chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kit online very easily, such as by using ZAVA’s online doctor service. Simply fill out a brief medical questionnaire and one of our licensed doctors will review your order. Our pharmacy will then send you whichever kit is suitable.

➤ We have a range of STI test kits available if you’d like to get checked for all of the most common STIs in the UK, including trichomoniasis – another possible cause of cloudy white urine.

If you think your urine symptoms are not caused by an STI, the only way to test your urine is by visiting your local nurse, pharmacist, or GP for further testing and a consultation.

In any case, if you are worried about the colour or quality of your urine, visit your doctor for more advice.