What should you know about burning and dark urine?

Urine can become darker when fluid loss makes it concentrated, especially after heat, exercise, sweating, diarrhoea, or vomiting. Burning, urgency, and frequent small amounts may point to urinary irritation or infection. Tea-coloured urine with yellowing of the eyes or skin, pale stools, nausea, or discomfort under the ribs needs assessment for a liver or bile problem, including hepatitis. Muscle pain and very dark urine after strenuous activity also warrant prompt care.

Colour can be affected by foods, supplements, or medicines, but a new change that persists should not be dismissed. The symptom itself does not identify one cause.

Move to a cool place after heat exposure, rest, and take small regular drinks if you can do so safely. Avoid alcohol until the cause is clearer. Note the colour, smell, pain location, fever, bowel changes, recent exercise, new medicines, and fluid losses. Arrange medical advice if burning persists, if urine remains dark despite rehydration, or if you have liver disease, kidney disease, or are pregnant.

Get urgent help for confusion, fainting, inability to keep fluids down, very little urine, severe weakness, severe side or back pain, or signs of heat exhaustion such as heavy sweating with dizziness. Seek prompt assessment for yellow skin or eyes, pale stools, bleeding, or dark urine after major exertion. A clinician may need urine and blood tests.

Could dehydration explain the colour, or do I need urine and blood tests? Does the burning suggest infection? Could my medicines or supplements be involved? Which changes in skin, stools, pain, or urine should prompt urgent review?