Why Does My Grandma Smell Like Pee?

As you know, old age comes with different kinds of body changes. So, you should expect an older person to become weaker and have changed behaviors. If your grandma smells like pee, understand that’s not to her liking but a natural way of responding to nature. Her pee-like smell can make you uncomfortable while around her and even cause the whole house to have the odor. Although there’s little you can do about it, you can use different ways to reduce the smell on her body. But this is after fully understanding the cause of the smell that’s like pee on her body. Read on to understand why your grandma smells like pee and what you can do to prevent it.

Your Grandma Could Be Having a Weak Bladder

Your grandma can’t hold urine for long with a weak bladder, meaning she can empty her bowels anytime. The weak bladder can result from weak muscles that can’t efficiently control the urine. If this is her case, she will find herself peeing on her body, bringing in the bad smell. Given that she may fail to control the frequency of urinating, the urine might stain her clothes. Suppose she’s immobile; she will pee wherever she is, making her smell like pee. A weak bladder can come from some diseases like diabetes or stroke. You can reduce the smell by maintaining high hygiene standards or advice your grandma to avoid taking too much liquid.

An Increase in the Secretion of Nonenal

As your grandma ages, the production of nonenal, which is a chemical compound that’s responsible for smell, increases. When this compound’s secretion rises, the fatty acids in the body get degraded through oxidation. And since in old age, fatty acid production increases your grandma’s skin capability to produce antioxidant reduces. So, her skin’s natural oil will oxidize faster, producing nonenal, and since this substance is insoluble, its smell won’t go away. If the production of nonenal in your grandma’s skin goes on, she will start producing a pee like the smell on her body against her will. Getting rid of this natural smell isn’t easy, but you can advise your grandma to exercise regularly and check on her diet.

Your Grandma Could Be Having an Infection

Suppose your grandma has an infection in her private parts; it won’t be easy for her to clean herself properly. Improper cleaning of her private part means urine will leak through her innerwear, causing the pee like smell. Since she won’t be able to clean that area until she fully heals, the urine deposition will increase. And if she hardly changes her clothing, the smell can spread to other parts. To help your grandma from smelling like pee, see a doctor to treat her infection and assist her in maintaining high hygiene standards.

Your Grandma Could Be Incontinent

If your grandma has an incontinence problem, her muscles can’t help her control the urine flow. With incontinence, your grandma’s pee will be leaking, making her have the smell of urine. At times the condition can’t allow her to cough or laugh without urine leakage. It can be challenging for your grandma to stop smelling like pee since it’s out of her control. The most common cause apart from the change in age is menopause. When your grandma has reached menopause age, her body will produce less estrogen necessary to keep her bladder and urethra healthy. With no estrogen lining on these tissues, your grandma’s incontinency will worsen, increasing her smell like pee. To help her from this condition, let her do exercises that involve the pelvic floor.

Being Overweight Can Be a Factor 

When your grandma is overweight, she will have problems moving around, and with weak muscles, her agonies will double. The excess weight will put much pressure on her bladder, making them vulnerable, resulting in urine leakage. With extra weight, she will also find it hard to move around that going to the washroom can never be a choice for her. In this state, she might relieve herself involuntarily. Since she might find it hard to change her clothes, she will smell like pee always. Your grandma should watch her weight to avoid suffering from such conditions.

Conclusions

Your grandma smelling like pee is something that can embarrass you when you’re in a new environment where no one understands her condition. To help her out, check if she has a weak bladder or an infection. You can also look if she’s overweight and decides on the best way to reduce the pee like smell.