Blood or unexplained pink/red urine
Persistent dark brown urine
Persistent orange urine without an obvious cause
An unexplained unusual color that doesn’t go away
Cloudy urine accompanied by urinary symptoms
A significant change that keeps recurring
Urine changes accompanied by other concerning symptoms
MedlinePlus specifically recommends medical evaluation for unexplained persistent abnormal urine color and for blood in the urine, even if it occurs only once.
Don’t Diagnose Yourself From Color Alone
This is probably the most important thing to remember.
It can be tempting to search for a color chart, find your shade, and immediately decide you know what’s wrong.
But urine color has many possible explanations.
The same color can result from something completely harmless—such as food or medication—or from a medical condition that requires evaluation.
That’s why context matters.
Ask yourself:
What have I eaten?
How much have I had to drink?
Have I started a
