Foamy urine is the presence of a white froth or bubbly lather in the toilet bowl after urinating. It is a common sign of proteinuria (protein in the urine).  It can frequently occur for less innocuous reasons and may be transient with no other episode occurring again for weeks or months.

What Causes Foamy Urine?

Questions to Ask if Urine is Foamy

• Has a detergent been added to the toilet water? Toilet sanitizers added to the cistern (tank) water may cause frothy water and once these bubbles settle, any agitation will cause the bubbles to form again. Recently cleaned toilet bowls may still have remnants of soapy detergents.

• Is your urine flow forceful? Straining or pushing out the urine with force can cause bubbling of the water. Urinating ‘loudly’ may be a sign of forceful urination. Gravity also plays a part in the force of the urine striking the water in the toilet bowl.

• Has the toilet bowl been flushed? The presence of another person’s urine, probably with protein in their urine, may cause bubbling on subsequent use if the toilet has not been flushed.

• Have you recently had sexual intercourse or been sexually stimulated? In men, the presence of semen remaining in the urethra could cause foamy urine although under usual circumstances, the quantity of remaining semen is too little. However, retrograde ejaculation where semen enters the bladder is a possible cause of foamy urine. In women, foamy urine due to the presence of vaginal discharge is less likely.

continue reading Foamy Urine Causes | Bubbles, White Froth

The symptoms associated with the presence of a kidney stone may not always be overt. In most cases it will remain unnoticed until it enters the ureter where the pain due to ureteral spasm, dilation and wall injury is severe. At other times, a small stone may pass out of the kidney with no symptoms. However, when the symptoms of a kidney stone is present, it can be excruciating to the point that daily functioning is affected.

Common Symptoms of Kidney Stones

• Kidney stone pain, known as renal colic, may present as severe pain in the flank, lower abdomen, back and/or groin.
• Blood in the urine.
• Dark, cloudy and/or foamy urine.
• Intense nausea with/without vomiting.
• Pain or burning when urinating.
• Frequent urination.
• Fever and chills if there is an infection.

continue reading List of Kidney Stone Symptoms in Men, Women, Children, Infants

What is Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)?

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (per ~ through, cutaneous ~ skin, nephro ~ kidney, lithotomy – surgical removal of stone) is a surgical procedure for the removal of kidney stone(s) lodged in the renal pelvis of the kidney. PCNL is often referred to as ‘keyhole’ surgery because an access track is created through the skin into the kidney without the need for a large open incision.

Endoscopic instruments can be inserted through this track for kidney stone destruction or removal. PCNL is a minimally invasive procedure which allows for shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery time and minimal scarring compared to open surgery.

continue reading Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) Kidney Stone Surgery

What is dyspepsia?

Dyspepsia is the medical term used to describe a number of gastrointestinal symptoms which can cause mild discomfort to extreme pain. There are a number of trigger factors but it usually tends to occur or get worse after eating (especially certain foods and drinks), when hungry or if stressed (nervous dyspepsia). For this reason, dyspepsia is also referred to as indigestion or an upset stomach, however, there may not be an actual disturbance of normal digestive functioning in some cases. A bout of indigestion can last for a few minutes or persist for several hours.

continue reading Indigestion (Upset Stomach) and Causes of Severe Dyspepsia