In Nephrotic Syndrome, the patients often can find a lot of foams in their urine for the large amount of protein in urine (more than 3.5 grams in 24 hours). If untreated, the protein in urine will trigger more problems like swelling, decreased protein level in blood, malnutrition as well as accelerating Nephrotic Syndrome progression. Therefore, treating the protein in urine is very important for the patients with Nephrotic Syndrome.
Patients may also note that foamy urine is not the same as bubbles in urine. Forceful elimination of urine can cause additional air to mix with the urine, which can in turn cause the eliminated urine in the toilet bowl to appear frothy. It is not a harmful condition, but persistent or recurrent cases need to be checked by a doctor.
What Causes Foamy Or Bubbly Urine?
Proteinuria: proteinuria is passage of protein in urine. Normally, a small quantity of protein is passed in urine. But when large amount is passed the condition is called proteinuria. The condition wherein protein released into urine, range from benign to lethal.
Excretion of protein in urine is regulated by glomerular filter present in kidney. Proteinuria may result when the glomeruli of kidney is damaged. When there is lot of protein present in urine and when it reacts with air and hits the water in the urinal, it produces urine bubbles. Several other proteinuria symptoms are present together with bubbly urine such as swelling in feet, and face etc.
Urinary tract infection: in normal health, a person’s urinary tract is free from infective microorganisms. However it is possible for germs to sneak into the urinary tract through urethra and cause urinary tract infection. Apart from other symptoms of urinary tract infection such as burning urination, frequent urination, a person may also have bubbly urine. This is because of certain germs that are responsible for producing gas bubbles in urine.
Dehydration: diminished fluid content in body result in dehydration. It usually occurs due to decreased intake of fluids and water. Diarrhea and vomiting, sweating are other causes of dehydration. Dehydration causes dryness of skin and mouth, tiredness, headache, and less urine which may appear foamy. In dehydration, urine becomes concentrated with various salts which may cause bubbles.
Diseased kidney: if a person is suffering from kidney disorders such as nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis, there may be excess amount of protein excretion in urine. Leakage of protein in urine is responsible for bubbles in urine.
Bubble in urine in pregnancy: at times the permeability of kidney increases, which may precipitate increased expulsion of protein in urine and consequently bubbles in urine.
Persons suffering from long standing diabetes and hypertension can have frothy urine. Long standing diabetes and hypertension is known to damage kidneys.
It is not only a physiological cause that gives rise to bubbles in urine, sometime chemicals used to cleanse toilets and urinals can react with urine to produce bubbles. In such situation, to confirm whether the cause is exclusively related to physiological condition, urinate in a clean glass jar or a beaker and see if there are residual bubbles present in urine. If they occur consistently, especially when you are diabetic or if you have hypertension you should get your urine checked in laboratory for proteinuria.
