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Saturday, October 1, 2016
What does white material in urine mean?
It depends on exactly what the material looks like:
Secretions (such as vaginal secretions) can contaminate the urine and produce white strands.
An infected urine may contain white blood cells, and may appear cloudy (although not usually white).
A small amount of white foam or froth on top of the urine can be normal, but a larger amount may mean that the urine contains protein (which is abnormal).
If a urine sample is refrigerated, white powdery material may settle to the bottom; this usually represents phosphates (contained in the diet) and is not abnormal.
These are the most common causes of white material in the urine. If this does not cover exactly what you're talking about, please feel to write again with a more detailed description.
Mildred Lam, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University