Why does my urine smell?

Symptoms:

Your urine is smelly and strong, a deep orange colour and little in quantity. The weather is very hot and you’ve been exercising strenuously without drinking sufficient water. Your urine has an unpleasant smell; you feel severe pain when you pass urine – particularly at the end as your bladder empties; you’re passing urine more frequently than usual and you have a pain above your pelvic bone. Your urine smells of pear drops, you’re a diabetic and you’ve missed an insulin injection, you’ve been passing a lot of urine, you have a nasty taste in

It could be:

Dehydration which can occur in any age group. It’s common among older people because they lose their thirst reflex. Cystitis, an infection of the bladder where bacteria grow in your urine – common after athletic sex and doing a lot of cycling with an uncomfortable saddle. Diabetic ketoacidosis, where you have high levels of blood acids called ketones, a by-product of too little insulin.

Stop it:

You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluid. It’s the severe dehydration that needs medical treatment. Drink frequently in hot weather and if you’re exercising. Lay off sex, start drinking lots of water to flush out your bladder, and see your GP for a suitable antibiotic. Get a new bicycle saddle. Take your insulin immediately and go straight to A&E because you may well need fluid replacement, electrolyte replacement and management of your insulin. Learn about the warning signs of diabetic ketoacidosis and know who to speak to when you need emergency care. Ask your doctor for a management plan for your diabetes and stick to it.