What Causes Blood in Urine?

There is nothing scarier than seeing blood in urine, also called hematuria. The cause may be harmless in many cases. However, hematuria symptoms and causes are many and can be a sign of serious illness. Therefore, you must learn more about these symptoms and causes to understand when to approach a healthcare provider. This also allows you to get treatment on time, if needed, or take precautions to avoid any serious illness in the future. So, read on to learn more about hematuria, its symptoms, and causes to get all your relevant questions answered.

Is Blood in Urine Serious?

Sometimes, blood in the urine can be a sign of serious illness. The earlier you know about it, the better. Hematuria is of two major types - gross and microscopic. Let’s understand each term to understand which among them is more serious in terms of health:

• Gross Hematuria: This condition happens when you can see blood in urine with the naked eye. The color of the urine is usually pink, red, brownish-red, or purple-red.
• Microscopic Hematuria: In this condition, you cannot see blood in urine with the naked eye. The amount is usually pretty small and you can only see it through a microscope when during the urine testing process in the lab. 

What Are the Main Hematuria Symptoms?

The blood present in your urine is a primary sign of hematuria. In fact, this may be the only noticeable symptom in several cases. When there are no other signs or discomfort, healthcare providers may refer to the condition as asymptomatic hematuria. However, several other urinary symptoms also accompany hematuria at times, such as: 

• Frequent Urination: Urinating more than usual
• Dysuria: Pain or burning when you urinate
• Urinary Urgency: The strong urge to urinate right away

You may have other symptoms associated with hematuria, which include: 

• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Lower back pain
• Abdominal pain
• Pain on either side of the lower back or above the hips

What Causes Hematuria?

Now, let’s understand the causes of hematuria in detail:

• Urinary Stone Disease: It refers to masses of minerals or other substances that often form in your urinary system. This includes kidney stones and blood in urine, bladder stones and ureteral stones.
• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): This is a kind of bacterial infection that may form on any part of your urinary system. Urinary tract infection and blood in urine often go hand in hand, as the infection can cause inflammation and irritation in the urinary tract. 
• Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis): A serious type of UTI that reaches the kidneys. It can cause hematuria along with fever, chills, flank pain, and nausea. Untreated kidney infections can result in lasting kidney damage or sepsis. 
• Bladder Inflammation (Cystitis): This is a kind of inflammation that affects your urinary bladder. Cystitis can be caused by infections, certain medications, or chemical irritants (e.g., from hygiene products). Both infectious and noninfectious cystitis may lead to blood in the urine.

Also Read: Home remedies for urine infection

Who Is Most Likely to Experience Hematuria?

Any individual of any age can have blood in their urine. However, you are more likely to have hematuria if you: 

• Have a congenital urinary abnormality
• Are 50 or older
• Have a biological family history of conditions affecting the urinary system, such as kidney stones.
• Take certain medications, such as anticoagulants (blood thinners), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antibiotics.
• Smoke
• Don’t drink enough fluids 
• Encounter certain chemicals or radiation at work
• Work around fumes, dyes, metals, or rubbers
• Play hockey, soccer, boxing, football, and other contact sports
• Exercise a lot or run long distances 
• Have vigorous sexual intercourse

Also Read:

When to See a Doctor for Blood in Urine?

Whenever your urine looks like it might have blood in it, see your healthcare provider immediately. For instance, you come back home only to find blood in urine after exercise. This could prompt you to think whether any injury would have caused it or if there is any underlying medical condition. So, to be on the safer side, you must see a doctor immediately. 

Did you know that it's not always your red blood cells that cause red urine? Some medicines can also cause your urine to turn red. For example, a medicine called phenazopyridine, which is used to ease urinary tract symptoms, can change your urine colour. 

Certain foods, including beets and rhubarb, can also turn urine red. 

However, it can be hard for anyone to tell whether a change in urine colour is caused by blood. Hence, it is recommended to go for a checkup immediately if you witness blood in your urine.

How Doctors Diagnose and Treat Hematuria?

To accurately diagnose and treat hematuria, doctors rely on specific tests and exams that help uncover both visible and hidden signs. These diagnostic steps are essential for identifying the hematuria symptoms and causes, from urinary tract infections to more serious conditions like kidney disease or cancer.

• Physical Exam: This includes a consultation with a healthcare provider about your past health history.
• Urine Tests: These tests can be used to diagnose blood in the urine. They can also check for a urinary tract infection or for minerals that often cause kidney stones.
• Imaging Tests: These types of tests can help you find the cause of blood in the urine. You might even need an MRI or CT scan, or an ultrasound exam.
• Cystoscopy: A healthcare provider often threads a narrow tube fitted with a tiny camera into your bladder to analyse any signs of disease.

Meanwhile, the treatment for hematuria often depends on the cause. Treatment for this condition might involve:

• Taking antibiotic medicines to clear any kind of urinary tract infection.
• Consuming prescription medicine to shrink an enlarged prostate.
• Having a medical treatment that uses sound waves to break up kidney stones.

In some cases of hematuria, no treatment is needed. However, you must see your healthcare provider afterward to make sure there's no more blood in your urine, especially after seeking treatment. 

Get the Best Treatment at Apollo Spectra!

Hematuria, or blood in urine, may not sound like a serious issue at first glance. However, it may be the cause behind another underlying, serious medical condition, too. So, how do you know if you need medical assistance immediately?

The answer to this is Apollo Spectra. We help you with your medical queries right from the beginning to the end. You can easily get diagnosed at our facility and seek treatment from the most experienced doctors under the same platform. Still confused about how to approach? Contact Apollo Spectra now!