Jan. 7, 2021 | Having blood in your urine can be somewhat frightening, especially if it occurs for no apparent reason. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the blood is visible. It often turns the toilet water red or pink. Or, you may see spots of blood in the water after urinating. Having blood in your urine, whether you notice or not, is known as hematuria. While it’s not usually a cause for concern, it’s not something that should be ignored, either, because it could be a sign of a serious medical condition. Blood that you can see is called gross hematuria. Instead of its usual pale yellow color, your urine may be pink, red, brownish-red, or tea-colored. Microscopic hematuria, urinary blood that’s visible only under a microscope, is found when your doctor tests your urine. Because hematuria is a symptom, treatment of the problem will focus on the medical condition causing it.

Jan. 7, 2021 | Hematuria, or blood in your urine, can be caused by a number of things. A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter your body through the urethra and multiply in your bladder. For some people, especially older adults, the only sign of illness might be microscopic blood in the urine. A kidney infection can occur when bacteria enter your kidneys from your bloodstream or move from your ureters to your kidneys. The symptoms are often similar to bladder infections, though kidney infections are more likely to cause a fever and pain. An enlarged prostate, diseases like sickle cell anemia or cystic kidney disease, a kidney injury from an accident or sports and even vigorous exercise can all lead to hematuria. Certain medications, such as aspirin, heparin and penicillin, can lead to blood in your urine, which may also become discolored due to red pigments from things like food dyes, or even eating lots of beets. Doctors sometimes call this condition “beeturia.”

Jan. 7, 2021 | Visible urinary bleeding may be a sign of advanced kidney, bladder or prostate cancer. Unfortunately, a patient may not have any signs of in the early stages of these forms of cancer, when they are more treatable. In many cases, the cause of blood in a patient’s urine, known as hematuria, cannot be identified. Men over the age of 50 have occasional hematuria due to an enlarged prostate gland. Men or women may be more prone to urinary bleeding if they have a family history of kidney disease or kidney stones. Long-distance runners are especially prone to exercise-induced urinary bleeding. In fact, the condition is sometimes called jogger’s hematuria. It’s unknown what causes the condition, it may be linked to trauma to the bladder, dehydration or the breakdown of red blood cells that occurs with sustained aerobic exercise. If you see blood in your urine after running or any form of strenuous exercise, it’s a good idea to consult with a physician.

Jan. 7, 2021 | When you go to see a physician about blood in your urine, or hematuria, you will likely undergo a physical exam that includes your medical history and a review of all of your symptoms. You will also probably have a urine test called urinalysis. This test can check for red blood cells as well as a urinary tract infection or the presence of minerals that cause kidney stones. Your physician may think an imaging test is necessary to find the cause of your hematuria and order a CT, MRI scan or ultrasound exam. In some instances, a cystoscopy may be necessary. This involves threading a narrow tube fitted with a tiny camera into your bladder and urethra for signs of disease. Sometimes, the cause of urinary bleeding can’t be found. In that case, your doctor may recommend regular follow-up tests, especially if you have risk factors for bladder cancer, such as smoking, exposure to environmental toxins or a history of radiation therapy.

Jan. 7, 2021 | Any treatment for hematuria, or blood in the urine, will depend on the condition causing the bleeding. Most patients are given antibiotics to clear up a possible urinary tract infection. Medication may be prescribed to shrink an enlarged prostate or shock wave therapy, known as lithotripsy, may be ordered to break up any bladder or kidney stones. In some cases, no treatment at all is necessary. Because certain actions like smoking, the overuse of pain medications and exposure to certain chemicals or radiation, can increase a person’s chance of having blood in their urine, your physician will discuss ways to avoid them. Be sure to follow up with your doctor after treatment to ensure there’s no more blood in your urine. Blood in the urine should never be ignored. It is very important to contact your doctor or health care provider if you see blood in your urine or if you have other symptoms, including painful blood clots, related to hematuria.