Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Oliguriais the medical term for low urine output. It is typically a result of dehydration, a blockage, or medications.
Most of the time, oliguria can be treated at home, but in some cases, it can be a symptom of a serious medical condition that requires further testing and treatment.
This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of oliguria, as well as how to it’s treated and prevented.
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Oliguria Symptoms
The primary symptom of oliguria is producing less urine than normal. Individuals might experience other symptoms as well, depending on the cause of decreased urine output.
The primary signs and symptoms of oliguria include:
If there is red or dark red blood in urine, this is a different issue calledhematuria.
When to Call Your Healthcare ProviderBecause a sudden decrease in urine output could be a sign of a serious medical issue, you should talk to your healthcare provider right away if you also have any of the following symptoms:Vomiting, diarrhea, or otherwise can’t seem to hold fluidsRacing heartDizzinessFeeling lightheaded
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Because a sudden decrease in urine output could be a sign of a serious medical issue, you should talk to your healthcare provider right away if you also have any of the following symptoms:Vomiting, diarrhea, or otherwise can’t seem to hold fluidsRacing heartDizzinessFeeling lightheaded
Because a sudden decrease in urine output could be a sign of a serious medical issue, you should talk to your healthcare provider right away if you also have any of the following symptoms:
If left untreated, oliguria can also lead to kidney injury.
What Causes Oliguria?
Several things can cause oliguria, including dehydration, blockages, and medications.
Dehydration
The most common cause of oliguria is dehydration.Dehydrationis when your body doesn’t have enough water or fluids—generally because it’s losing more than it’s taking in.This can happen when you sweat a lot on a hot day or have a stomach virus that causes diarrhea or vomiting.
Blockage
Decreased urine output can also happen when something is physically blocking the urinary tract (such as anenlarged prostateorkidney stones), limiting the flow of urine.
These blockages can occur anywhere along the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder), and the urethra (which drains the bladder). Blockages are more common in adults than children.
Medications
Some medications can affect the body’s ability to produce or release urine:
Other Causes
While less common, other conditions that can decrease urine output include:
Diagnosing Oliguria
Oliguria is typically diagnosed during a physical exam. Healthcare providers also might run tests to investigate potential causes or check for related health issues.
Physical Exam
During an appointment, your healthcare provider will likely ask you a series of questions about your health to get a better idea of what might be causing the decrease in urine output. For example, they will examine you for signs of dehydration or urinary tract blockage, such as pain in the low abdomen (bladder) or flank (kidneys).
Medical professionals diagnose oliguria based on the amount of urine you produce in a day, though the criteria used are different for adults and kids:
Other Tests
Your healthcare provider might do tests to determine what caused the drop in urine output and whether the decrease has caused harm to the kidneys. These tests might include:
Oliguria vs Anuria: What Is the Difference?Oliguria means low urine output, whereas anuria means urine output has stopped completely. Anuria is a medical emergency and usually indicates kidney damage or failure.
Oliguria vs Anuria: What Is the Difference?
Oliguria means low urine output, whereas anuria means urine output has stopped completely. Anuria is a medical emergency and usually indicates kidney damage or failure.
What Is the Best Treatment for Oliguria?
How oliguria is treated depends on several different factors, including the overall health of the individual, the likely cause of the decrease in urine, and whether there’s been any injury to the kidney.
Generally speaking, healthcare providers typically recommend increasing your fluid intake, stopping medications that may be causing oliguria, and/or using medications to treat the condition.
Increasing Fluid Intake
In cases of severe dehydration or where another health issue is at play, your practitioner might recommend intravenous (IV) fluids and possible hospitalization.
If rehydration isn’t enough—or if there are other health issues affecting your urine output or hydration levels—your healthcare provider might recommend using medications to treat oliguria or its underlying cause.
Medications used to treat oliguria include:
How to Prevent Oliguria
Contrary to health food blogs or conventional wisdom, there is no one-size-fits-all set of guidelines for how much water a person should drink every day. However, the Institute of Medicine provides the following recommendations:
Summary
Oliguria, or low urine output, is typically a result of dehydration, a blockage, or medications. However, oliguria can sometimes be a sign of a more serious condition such as kidney damage or failure. Talk to your healthcare provider if you notice a decrease in urine frequency or volume and be sure to drink plenty of fluids to help prevent oliguria.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Urine output—decreased.Merck Manual Professional Version.Oliguria.Medline Plus.Dehydration.Ghane Shahrbaf F, Assadi F.Drug-induced renal disorders.J Renal Inj Prev. 2015;4(3):57–60. doi:10.12861/jrip.2015.12Jain A, Mattoo TK.Chapter 301: Oliguria and anuria. In: McInerny TK, Adam HM, Campbell DE, DeWitt TG, Foy MM, Kamatet DK, eds.American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care.2nd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics.Marinosci GZ, De Robertis E, De Benedictis G, Piazza O.Dopamine use in intensive care: Are we ready to turn it down?Transl Med UniSa. 2012;4:90–94.Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. The National Academies Press.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Urine output—decreased.Merck Manual Professional Version.Oliguria.Medline Plus.Dehydration.Ghane Shahrbaf F, Assadi F.Drug-induced renal disorders.J Renal Inj Prev. 2015;4(3):57–60. doi:10.12861/jrip.2015.12Jain A, Mattoo TK.Chapter 301: Oliguria and anuria. In: McInerny TK, Adam HM, Campbell DE, DeWitt TG, Foy MM, Kamatet DK, eds.American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care.2nd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics.Marinosci GZ, De Robertis E, De Benedictis G, Piazza O.Dopamine use in intensive care: Are we ready to turn it down?Transl Med UniSa. 2012;4:90–94.Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. The National Academies Press.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Urine output—decreased.Merck Manual Professional Version.Oliguria.Medline Plus.Dehydration.Ghane Shahrbaf F, Assadi F.Drug-induced renal disorders.J Renal Inj Prev. 2015;4(3):57–60. doi:10.12861/jrip.2015.12Jain A, Mattoo TK.Chapter 301: Oliguria and anuria. In: McInerny TK, Adam HM, Campbell DE, DeWitt TG, Foy MM, Kamatet DK, eds.American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care.2nd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics.Marinosci GZ, De Robertis E, De Benedictis G, Piazza O.Dopamine use in intensive care: Are we ready to turn it down?Transl Med UniSa. 2012;4:90–94.Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. The National Academies Press.
MedlinePlus.Urine output—decreased.
Merck Manual Professional Version.Oliguria.
Medline Plus.Dehydration.
Ghane Shahrbaf F, Assadi F.Drug-induced renal disorders.J Renal Inj Prev. 2015;4(3):57–60. doi:10.12861/jrip.2015.12
Jain A, Mattoo TK.Chapter 301: Oliguria and anuria. In: McInerny TK, Adam HM, Campbell DE, DeWitt TG, Foy MM, Kamatet DK, eds.American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care.2nd ed. American Academy of Pediatrics.
Marinosci GZ, De Robertis E, De Benedictis G, Piazza O.Dopamine use in intensive care: Are we ready to turn it down?Transl Med UniSa. 2012;4:90–94.
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. The National Academies Press.
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