Foamy urine may be a sign of kidney disease, says gynaecologist

A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Dr. Sule Abdullahi, has advised people to pay attention to the colour and smell of their urine to know when it becomes foamy.

He noted that passing out foamy urine may indicate early kidney disease or protein in the urine (proteinuria), which requires urgent medical evaluation.

The physician, who spoke exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise, urged those experiencing consistent foamy urine to see a physician, stressing that the colour of the urine has a lot to tell about an individual’s health.

Dr. Abdullahi, who is a Senior Lecturer, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bayero University, Kano State, said protein, sugar, and blood are not meant to be seen in the urine.

“When you notice that your urine is dark, it is an indication that something is wrong. You may have kidney problems.

“When you see the urine foaming too much, it is likely that there is protein in the urine and it is an indication that there is a kidney problem or infection in the urethra.

“Urine contains some chemicals and properties that when you look at it and have it analysed, it can tell a lot about your health.

“There are two things to look out for in the urine – glucose and protein. Ideally, you are not supposed to see glucose in the urine. When you see glucose in the urine, it raises suspicion about the person having diabetes mellitus”, he said.

Mayo Clinic, an online health portal, advised anyone that experiences persistent foamy urine that becomes more noticeable over time to see a physician.

“This can be a sign of protein in your urine (proteinuria), which requires further evaluation. Increased amounts of protein in urine could mean you have a serious kidney problem”, Mayo Clinic stated.

Speaking further, Dr. Abdullahi noted that if a person is battling with kidney damage caused by poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes, internal kidney disease from an infection, or some other abnormality, protein could then appear in the urine.

The gynaecologist said, “You are not supposed to see protein in the urine because the kidney is supposed to filter and will not allow the protein to pass through.

“So when you see protein in the urine, it is telling you right whether you are having kidney problems or an infection. So when you see protein, you should look at whether the person has an infection or renal disease.”

The physician also disclosed that blood is not supposed to be seen in the urine, adding that seeing blood in the urine means there are issues.

“You are not supposed to see blood in the urine, when you see it, you have to find out if there are problems with the kidneys, in the bladder, or along the passages”, he added.

According to MSD Manual, blood in the urine is referred to as hematuria, and it can make the urine appear pink, red, or brown, depending on the amount of blood, how long it has been in the urine, and how acidic the urine is.

The medical site stated that the amount of blood too small to change the colour of the urine (microscopic hematuria) might be found by chemical tests or microscopic examination.

it noted that microscopic hematuria may be found when a urine test is done for another reason.

“People with hematuria may have other symptoms of urinary tract disorders, such as pain in the side or back (flank), lower abdominal pain, an urgent need to urinate, or difficulty urinating, depending on the cause of blood in the urine. If sufficient blood is present in the urine, the blood may form a clot. The clot can completely block the flow of urine, causing sudden extreme pain and inability to urinate. Bleeding severe enough to cause such a clot is usually caused by an injury to the urinary tract,” it stated.

In a 2019 article published in an online journal, Pub Med Central, the authors said traditionally, foamy urine had been considered by physicians, as well as by patients, as a marker for proteinuria.

“It is listed by most electronic health records in their customizable specialty templates as a symptom of kidney disease.

“We encourage clinicians to stress foamy urine primarily with their patients who suffer from a relapsing glomerular disease or are members of families with certain genetic kidney disorders to facilitate early detection of disease relapse or early diagnosis, respectively, that can have a major impact on the outcome,” the authors said.