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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffNormal urine color varies, depending on how much water you drink. Fluids dilute the yellow pigments in urine, so the more you drink, the clearer your urine looks. When you drink less, the color becomes more concentrated — severe dehydration can produce urine the color of amber.
But sometimes urine can turn colors far beyond what's normal, including red, blue, green, dark brown and cloudy white.
Symptoms of urinary infection
Most color changes are painless and occur without other signs and symptoms. But if the color change is due to a urinary infection, you may have:
- A strong, persistent urge to urinate
- Burning pain with urination
- Frequent urination
- Fever, chills, sweats
- Abdominal pain that comes in waves
- Strong-smelling urine (normal urine should have little or no odor)
When to see a doctor
Call your doctor if:
- You have visible blood in your urine.
- You have color changes that don't seem related to food, medications, supplements or dyes.
- You have dark brown urine, especially if you also have pale stools and yellow skin and eyes, which could indicate a serious problem with your liver. In this case, seek medical care as soon as possible.
- Foot CL, et al. Uroscopic rainbow: Modern matula medicine. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2006;82:126.
- Liao JC, et al. Pediatric urine testing. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2001;48:1425.
- Gerber GS, et al. Evaluation of the urologic patient: History, physical examination, and urinalysis. Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151836479-3/0/1445/6.html?tocnode=54299533&fromURL=6.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50005-4_96. Accessed July 28, 2009.
- Post TW, et al. Urinalysis in the diagnosis of renal disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 11, 2009.
- Rose BD, et al. Evaluation of hematuria in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 17, 2009.
- Yun EJ, et al. Evaluation of the patient with hematuria. The Medical Clinics of North America. 2004;88:329.
- Mercieri A. Exercise-induced hematuria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 17, 2009.
- Terris MK. The significance of abnormal urine color. Stanford School of Medicine. http://urology.stanford.edu/about/articles/abnormal_urine.html. Accessed Aug. 11, 2009.
