How to Increase Urine pH
Visit your doctor if you have urinary symptoms., Increase urine pH if you have kidney stones., Alkalize your urine if you have gout., Check your urine pH at home.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Visit your doctor if you have urinary symptoms.
There are a number of illnesses and health problems that will affect your urine and urination habits.
Any time you have pain in your abdomen, flank (your side beneath your ribs), or groin, visit your doctor to find out what’s wrong.
You should see your healthcare professional if you have any urinary symptoms.
Sometimes, increasing the pH of your urine can help – other times, you may need antibiotics or other treatment to solve your medical problem.
Get a proper diagnosis, talk to your doctor about treatment options, and ask if raising your urine pH will help if you experience any of the following:
You’re urinating more or less than usual, or you can only urinate in small amounts.
It hurts or burns when you urinate.
Your urine looks very dark.
Your urine smells bad. -
Step 2: Increase urine pH if you have kidney stones.
Some types of kidney stones occur if there’s too much acid and other compounds in your body, so alkalinizing your urine (raising the pH) can help dissolve kidney stones.
You may also need other treatment and not all types of kidney stones are improved this way, so talk to your doctor about treatment options.Signs and symptoms of kidney stones can include any of the following:
Pain in your flank (the side of your torso beneath your ribs) Pain that travels to your abdomen or groin Pain that comes in waves and changes in intensity Blood in your urine (urine may look pink, red, or brown) Cloudy or bad-smelling urinePain when you urinate Urinating more often or feeling sudden urges to urinate Nausea and vomiting Fever and chills , You can get gout if you have too much of a certain kind of acid in your body (uric acid).
Gout can cause severe pain, redness, and swelling in your small joints, usually your big toe.
If you have severe pain in your big toe that’s unrelated to an injury, see your doctor to get diagnosed.
If you have gout, try to raise the pH of your urine to decrease your uric acid level – this can help prevent future attacks of gout., If you are going to try to raise the pH of your urine, keep track of the changes by measuring pH once a day.
Urine that is too alkaline can cause problems, just as acidic urine can.
Purchase pH test strips from your local pharmacy.
To test your urine, collect a sample in a clean cup and use the strips as directed.
Insert the strip into the urine for the directed amount of time, then match the color on the strip to a color chart on the bottle to determine pH.
Alkalize your urine to a pH >7 if you’re trying to dissolve kidney stones.Get a clean urine sample.
Begin to urinate for several seconds, then collect a sample in your clean cup by catching the urine mid-stream.
Urinary dipsticks are available from companies like AimStrip.
These can be used to test urinary pH, as well, though you may have to get them from the company directly. -
Step 3: Alkalize your urine if you have gout.
-
Step 4: Check your urine pH at home.
Detailed Guide
There are a number of illnesses and health problems that will affect your urine and urination habits.
Any time you have pain in your abdomen, flank (your side beneath your ribs), or groin, visit your doctor to find out what’s wrong.
You should see your healthcare professional if you have any urinary symptoms.
Sometimes, increasing the pH of your urine can help – other times, you may need antibiotics or other treatment to solve your medical problem.
Get a proper diagnosis, talk to your doctor about treatment options, and ask if raising your urine pH will help if you experience any of the following:
You’re urinating more or less than usual, or you can only urinate in small amounts.
It hurts or burns when you urinate.
Your urine looks very dark.
Your urine smells bad.
Some types of kidney stones occur if there’s too much acid and other compounds in your body, so alkalinizing your urine (raising the pH) can help dissolve kidney stones.
You may also need other treatment and not all types of kidney stones are improved this way, so talk to your doctor about treatment options.Signs and symptoms of kidney stones can include any of the following:
Pain in your flank (the side of your torso beneath your ribs) Pain that travels to your abdomen or groin Pain that comes in waves and changes in intensity Blood in your urine (urine may look pink, red, or brown) Cloudy or bad-smelling urinePain when you urinate Urinating more often or feeling sudden urges to urinate Nausea and vomiting Fever and chills , You can get gout if you have too much of a certain kind of acid in your body (uric acid).
Gout can cause severe pain, redness, and swelling in your small joints, usually your big toe.
If you have severe pain in your big toe that’s unrelated to an injury, see your doctor to get diagnosed.
If you have gout, try to raise the pH of your urine to decrease your uric acid level – this can help prevent future attacks of gout., If you are going to try to raise the pH of your urine, keep track of the changes by measuring pH once a day.
Urine that is too alkaline can cause problems, just as acidic urine can.
Purchase pH test strips from your local pharmacy.
To test your urine, collect a sample in a clean cup and use the strips as directed.
Insert the strip into the urine for the directed amount of time, then match the color on the strip to a color chart on the bottle to determine pH.
Alkalize your urine to a pH >7 if you’re trying to dissolve kidney stones.Get a clean urine sample.
Begin to urinate for several seconds, then collect a sample in your clean cup by catching the urine mid-stream.
Urinary dipsticks are available from companies like AimStrip.
These can be used to test urinary pH, as well, though you may have to get them from the company directly.
About the Author
Kathryn Jordan
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: