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Blood in Urine (Hematuria)

Blood in urine - known medically as hematuria - is usually not a reason for


major alarm.
Because blood in urine can be a sign of a serious medical condition, however,
it shouldn't be ignored. All cases of hematuria should be evaluated by a
doctor who can order tests to confirm or rule out an underlying cause.
There is no specific treatment for hematuria since it's a symptom and not a
specific condition. Instead, treatment is aimed at the underlying cause if one
can be found. In many cases, no treatment is necessary.

Where Blood in Urine Might Come From

Blood in urine can come from the kidneys, where urine is made. It also can
come from other structures in the urinary tract, such as:

Ureters (the tubes from the kidneys to the bladder).


Bladder (where urine is stored).
Urethra (the tube from the bladder to the outside of the body).

Symptoms That May Accompany Hematuria

If there is blood in urine, the symptom is obvious. Instead of its normal pale
yellow color, your urine may be pink, red, brownish-red, or tea-colored. This is
what doctors call gross hematuria.

Sometimes, blood in urine is not visible to the naked eye and the presence of
red blood cells can only be detected by the lab. This is what doctors call
microscopic hematuria. It's usually only discovered when a urine sample is

tested with a dipstick and the results are confirmed with a microscopic
examination.

Hematuria may occur without any other symptoms. Some underlying causes,
however, are associated with additional symptoms that can be moderate to
severe. These include:

Bladder infections (acute cystitis). In adults, bladder infections usually cause


burning or pain with urination. Infants with bladder infections may have
fever , be irritable, and feed poorly. Older children may have fever, pain and
burning while urinating, urgency, and lower belly pain.
Kidney infections (pyelonephritis). Symptoms may include fever, chills, and
flank pain, which refers to pain in the lower back.
Kidney stones. Symptoms may include severe abdominal or pelvic pain.
Kidney diseases. Symptoms may include weakness, high blood pressure, and
body swelling, including puffiness around the eyes.

Causes of Hematuria

Common causes of blood in urine include:

Bladder or kidney infections.


Bladder or kidney stones.
Certain kidney diseases, such as inflammation in the filtering system of the
kidneys (glomerulonephritis).
Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate cancer.
Inherited diseases such as sickle cell anemia and cystic kidney disease.
Certain medications such as aspirin, penicillin, heparin, cyclophosphamide,
and phenazopyridine.

A tumor in the bladder, kidney, or prostate .


Kidney injury from an accident or sports.
Vigorous exercise.
Sometimes, what appears to be blood in urine is actually red pigment from
other sources such as food dyes, medications, or an excessive amount of
beets. Doctors refer to this latter cause as "beeturia."

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