Hematuria Causes – Blood in the Urine – Urologist

When a person can visibly see blood in their urine it can immediately cause alarm. In reality, blood in the urine, or hematuria, is frequently seen by urologists and is most often treatable. Still, it is advisable to seek immediate medical attention for an evaluation and diagnosis in order for the urologist to either identify or rule out a more complex medical condition. When discovering blood in the urine, it will help your provider to have as much information as possible to assist them in narrowing down possible hematuria causes. By answering the following questions, the patient will be able to help guide the urologist in making a more accurate and timely diagnosis.

What color is the blood?

Hematuria can appear as a range of colors. It is common for patients to describe their urine as reddish pink in color, to a darker cola shade, or even a vivid red. It does not take a large quantity of blood to affect the shade of urine. Even a small amount of blood cells can cause a noticeable change.  Although the doctor will perform an in-office urinalysis test, it is helpful if the patient is able to accurately describe the color of their urine when blood was first detected.

What symptoms are you experiencing?

Along with the color of their urine, it helps the urologist to know if the patient is experiencing any other unexplained symptoms. In actuality, some cases of hematuria do not appear to have any symptoms, aside from the urine change.  However, if accompanying health changes are apparent, however small, it’s important to note them and discuss them with your provider. Health changes such as body pain, painful urination, a burning sensation while urinating, or even frequent urination should be discussed. Fever, along with pain located in the flank or back, can be signs that something may be affecting the kidneys.

Have your activities changed?

Hematuria is possible among athletes due to consistent or strenuous exercise. Health experts theorize that dehydration, bladder trauma, and a breakdown of red blood cells may be the a result of these strenuous activities.  At times, exercising can have a traumatizing effect on the body, especially if it is a relatively new habit or is particularly intense.  If you notice urinary bleeding near or during times of intense exercise, alert your doctor.

What medications are you currently taking?

Carefully consider the medications you are currently taking, including supplements.  Anticoagulants, such as aspirin and blood thinners, have been known to cause urinary bleeding.  In addition, some anti-cancer drugs have been connected to this condition. Talk to your doctor about any medications you take and discuss their possible side-effects.

Possible Health Causes

Ultimately, hematuria is the symptom of an internal issue involving the urinary tract. For men, prostate issues is an added concern.  When problems such as infections, kidney stones, cysts, tumors, and enlargement of the prostate occur arise, the body responds with symptoms to raise awareness of the problem.   Hematuria is not the primary issue that needs treatment, but rather the undiagnosed condition.

When hematuria is present, it will help the physician to narrow down possible hematuria causes if they know the color of the urine, the patient’s symptoms, medications they are currently taking, and if they have had any changes in their activity level. A prompt evaluation by a physician can help reduce the chances of serious health problems.

If you have blood in your urine, contact our office to determine if you should schedule an immediate appointment, or proceed to the nearest emergency room.

What Causes Blood in Urine (Hematuria)?

Symptoms That Accompany Blood in Your Urine

If your urine is pink, red, or brown, you may be experiencing hematuria. A small amount of blood can change the color of your urine, but you may also notice that you’re passing larger blood clots. (2) 

Discolored urine, however, does not mean that you have blood in your urine. Certain foods such as blackberries, rhubarb, and beets, as well as some medications and vitamins, can change the color of your urine. (3) 

Regardless, it’s best to consult your doctor anytime that your urine is discolored to determine whether the change is harmless or more serious.

Additional symptoms that might accompany blood in urine can include: (4)

• Discomfort or pain while urinating
• Urgent need to urinate
• Frequent need to urinate
• Weight loss
• Inability to urinate
• Fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Chills

Causes of Blood in Your Urine (Hematuria)

When you experience hematuria, red blood cells leak from your kidneys or your urinary tract into your urine. Blood in your urine is not always a sign of a serious medical condition, but it should be taken as a warning sign that something could be wrong. Hematuria can be a sign of many different medical conditions, including: (2)

• Bladder or kidney stones
• Kidney disease
• Kidney injury
• Enlarged prostate
• Urinary tract infections
• Blood clots
• Kidney infections
• Cancer of kidneys, bladder, or urethra
• Sickle cell anemia

If you notice blood at the beginning of urination, the origin of the bleeding could be the urethra. If you notice blood throughout urination, it’s possible that the origin is your bladder, kidneys, or ureters. If you notice blood at the end of a urination stream, the cause may be the bladder or prostate. (5)

If you’re over age 35 and are a smoker, blood in your urine is often a sign of bladder cancer. (5)

Certain medications can also cause urinary bleeding, including: (2)

• cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
• penicillin
• aspirin
• heparin
• Anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), dabigatran (Pradaxa), or apixaban (Eliquis)

Extreme exercise can also cause hematuria, possibly because it can cause bladder trauma, dehydration, or the breaking down of red blood cells. If you’re a runner, or have exercised strenuously, and notice blood in your urine, contact your doctor. (2)

Blood may also come from other sources, such as the vagina during menstruation, ejaculation in men (often because of a prostate problem), or a bowel movement due to hemorrhoids or other issues. (4)

What Causes Small Blood Clots in Urine?

Urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and prostate problems are common causes of small blood clots, which can sometimes look like coffee grounds. If you notice blood clots in your urine — even small ones — you should contact your doctor. Larger blood clots can block the flow of urine and cause discomfort, and they’re often a sign of a medical emergency. (6)

If you notice different shapes of blood clots in your urine, such as a wormlike form, it may be a sign that you are experiencing bleeding from the urethra or prostate. If the clots are painful, they might be coming from the tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder, known as ureters. (5)

Can Dehydration Cause Blood in Urine?  

While dehydration is less likely to be a direct cause of blood in the urine, it can lead to conditions that can cause hematuria. For example, low urine volume due to consistent dehydration can lead to kidney stones that can cause blood in the urine. Dehydration may also be a contributor when extreme exercise causes blood in the urine. (7)

Diagnosing the Cause of Blood in Urine

More on Diagnosing Causes of Urine in Blood

10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Blood Tests

To determine the cause of blood in urine, your doctor will usually begin by discussing your medical history with you. They may ask if you’ve had any recent infections or have a family history of hematuria. (2) You can prepare for your appointment by making a few notes about the color and odor of your urine, as well as how frequently you’ve been urinating and whether you experience any pain while urinating. You may want to take a photo of your discolored urine on your mobile phone that you can show to your doctor during your appointment.

Your doctor may also perform a number of tests. A urinalysis can detect microscopic hematuria and also test for a urinary tract infection or kidney stones. If a urinalysis does not determine the cause, your doctor may also perform a CT scan, an MRI, or an ultrasound. They may also want to examine the bladder and urethra via cystoscopy, where a tube with a camera attached is inserted into your bladder. (2) Additional tests may include: (4)

• Antinuclear antibody test
• Blood creatinine level
• Kidney biopsy
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Strep test
• Blood disorder tests
• Coagulation tests
• Blood chemistry tests
• 24-hour urine collection

“Many doctors and patients underestimate the importance of searching for a cause for blood in the urine,” says Anne Schuckman, MD, associate professor of urology and urologic oncology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles. She recommends that patients with hematuria receive both a CT scan and a cystoscopy. “Unfortunately, many patients who have blood in the urine may also have some white cells in the urine and are treated for a presumed urinary tract infection. The antibiotics may help for a while. However, a serious underlying reason for the blood can be missed without a full investigation. ”

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Blood in the urine (hematuria) | Symptoms, complications, diagnosis and treatment

Blood in the urine may be a warning sign. Although in many cases the cause is harmless, blood in the urine (hematuria) can indicate a serious disorder. Treatment depends on the cause.

Blood in the urine can be referred to by two terms. If the blood is visible to the eye, that is, the urine has a pink or burgundy color, then this condition is called gross hematuria. If the urine has a normal color, but an increased content of red blood cells, that is, blood elements, is detected in the urine test, then this condition is called microhematuria. This article will focus on the visible admixture of blood in the urine (gross hematuria).

Some medicines and foods, such as beets, rhubarb, and certain types of berries, can cause urine to turn red. To determine exactly whether the cause of this discoloration of urine is an admixture of blood or not, it is necessary to pass a urine test.

Symptoms

Hematuria produces pink, red, or cola-colored urine due to the presence of red blood cells. Urine has a pink color, or the color of the color of “meat slops”. In the urine, blood clots can also be determined in the form of black “worms”, “cakes”, long threads. At the same time, there may be pain when urinating, or pain in the lumbar region.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor any time you notice blood in your urine.

Some medications, such as laxatives and certain foods, including beets, rhubarb, and berries, can cause urine to turn red. Urine discoloration caused by drugs, food, or exercise may disappear within a few days.

Blood urine looks different, but you can’t tell the difference. Best consult a physician any time you see red-colored urine.

Causes of hematuria.

• Urinary tract infections (most commonly acute cystitis) – this happens when bacteria enter your body through the urethra and multiply in your bladder. Symptoms may include a constant urge to urinate, pain and burning when urinating, and extremely smelly urine.
• Kidney infection (acute pyelonephritis) – This can happen when bacteria enter the kidneys from your bloodstream or travel from the ureters to the kidneys. Signs and symptoms are often similar to bladder infections, although kidney infections are more likely to cause fever and side pain.
• Bladder, kidney or ureter stone – Minerals in concentrated urine sometimes form crystals on the walls of the kidney or bladder. Over time, the crystals can become small, hard stones.
  Stones are generally painless, so you probably won’t know you have them unless they cause blockages or are passed on. Then usually no symptoms occur – kidney stones, especially, can cause excruciating pain. Bladder or kidney stones can also cause both severe and microscopic bleeding.
• Enlarged prostate in older men – The prostate gland, which lies just below the bladder and surrounds the top of the urethra, often enlarges as men approach middle age. It then compresses the urethra, partially blocking the flow of urine. Signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) include difficulty urinating, an urgent or persistent need to urinate, and visible or microscopic blood in the urine. An infection of the prostate gland (prostatitis) can cause the same symptoms. .
• Infection of the prostate gland (acute prostatitis) .
• Diseases of the kidneys (glomerulonephritis) – microscopic urinary bleeding is a common symptom of glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the filtering system of the kidneys. Glomerulonephritis may be part of a systemic disease such as diabetes, or it may occur on its own. Viral or streptococcal infections, blood vessel disease (vasculitis), and immune problems such as IgA nephropathy that affect the small capillaries that filter blood in the kidneys (glomeruli) can cause glomerulonephritis.
• In women, urine contamination with menstrual blood during menses.
• Kidney Injury – Striking or other injury to the kidneys from accident or physical contact may cause visible blood in the urine. .
• Bladder cancer (most often smokers suffer).
• Cancer of the kidney, pelvis, ureter – Visible urinary bleeding may be a sign of kidney, bladder or prostate cancer. Unfortunately, there may be no signs or symptoms in the early stages, when these cancers are most treatable. .
• Medications (eg, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve joint pain) – the anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide and penicillin can cause urination. Visible urinary blood sometimes occurs if you are taking an anticoagulant such as aspirin and the thinner heparin and you also have a condition that causes bladder bleeding.
• Intense exercise Rarely, intense exercise can lead to gross hematuria, but the cause is unknown. This may be due to bladder injury, dehydration, or the breakdown of red blood cells that occurs with prolonged aerobic exercise.

When to see a doctor.

The admixture of blood in the urine can be a symptom of a serious illness, so it is necessary to consult a urologist . The urologist will prescribe examinations to find a clarification of the diagnosis. First of all, it is necessary to exclude malignant lesions of the urinary system, which, although not often detected, can pose a serious threat to health

Almost everyone, including children and teenagers, can have red blood cells in their urine.

Factors that make this more likely include:

• Age. Many men over 50 experience occasional hematuria due to an enlarged prostate.
• Recent infection. Inflammation of the kidneys after a viral or bacterial infection (post-infectious glomerulonephritis) is one of the leading causes of visible urinary blood in children.
• Heredity. You may be more likely to urinate if you have a family history of kidney disease or kidney stones. Sickle cell anemia, an inherited defect in hemoglobin in red blood cells, causes blood in the urine, both visible and microscopic hematuria. This can cause Alport’s syndrome, which affects the filtering membranes in the glomeruli of the kidneys.
• Some medicines. Aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers and antibiotics such as penicillin are known to increase the risk of urinary bleeding.
• Physical activity. Long distance runners are particularly susceptible to exercise-induced physiological bleeding. In fact, this condition is sometimes referred to as runner’s hematuria. But anyone who works hard can have the symptoms described.

Diagnostics

Your urologist will determine the presence of risk factors for urinary tract cancer and possible other causes of blood in the urine. The most common risk factors for the development of cancer are smoking, previous radiation or chemotherapy, exposure to adverse production factors (dyes, solvents). Depending on age, the presence of risk factors, symptoms, the urologist will assess the amount of the necessary examination.

Examination

The purpose of the examination is to find the source of blood in the urine. To examine the bladder, ultrasound and cystoscopy are usually performed . To examine the upper urinary tract (kidneys and ureters), ultrasound or computed tomography with contrast injection (CT urography) is necessary. Laboratory tests usually include a urine culture to rule out infection, a blood test for creatinine, and a complete blood count.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause of the hematuria. In the presence of oncological diseases or stones, surgical treatment is necessary. In most other cases, medications can be dispensed with.

In the urological department of VCERM named after. Nikiforov EMERCOM of Russia you can get the full range of necessary assistance

The Urology Department occupies one of the first places in the city in terms of the quality of medical care for patients with urological pathology, including those that developed in emergency situations. Such high results were achieved thanks to the continuous professional development of the department’s doctors (6 people, most of whom have a scientific degree), including on the basis of clinics in the USA and Germany, a clear delineation of functions, as well as advanced equipment of the department, which allows performing surgical and medical treatment. diagnostic manipulations of any category of complexity.

You can get comprehensive advice on your problem from highly qualified doctors of the department.

For more information, please go to the branch page.

Hematuria or blood in the urine of a cat

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Blood in the urine of a cat. Causes. Diagnostics. Prevention

Dr. Arina Vladimirovna Volchenkova will help us understand the concept of hematuria in cats.

(P.S. We love the name Natasha, the cover was inspired by a famous cat meme 🙂

Blood in the urine of an animal (hematuria) is a pet condition in which blood appears in the urine in drops or whole clots, turning it pink / brown.

Causes of hematuria:
– Diseases of the genitourinary system
Most often, the following pathologies are diagnosed in cats: cystitis, urethritis, etc.

– Poisoning
Sending food (onions, garlic, etc.) can be the cause of hematuria.

– Urolithiasis
A disease in which a urolith (stone) forms in the cavity of the bladder.
There are breeds more predisposed to this disease.

– Altitude injury
After a fall from a height, the organs of the genitourinary system of a cat can be damaged, due to which blood appears in its urine

– Infections
Blood in the urine of cats may be due to infectious processes in the body of the animal.

– Unbalanced diet, lack of fluid in the body
Poor quality food, lack of water in the body can cause metabolic disorders. As a result, the formation of uroliths / nephroliths and blood in the urine.

– Stress
Cats are very sensitive to stress, no matter how self-sufficient and courageous they may seem. Moving, the arrival of a new member in the family, loud noises and more can be the cause of problems with urination.

What should I do if I notice blood in my cat’s urine?

If the cause is stress, remove its source. Provide several places with water. These can be dynamic fountains, several bowls (depending on the preferences of the tail). The tail should drink water at the rate of 50 ml / 1 kg. Contact the clinic, do not delay.

Clinical diagnostics
The first and most necessary procedure is an ultrasound of the bladder/kidneys. The appearance depends on age and symptoms.
Further, according to the results of the ultrasound, the doctor determines whether it is necessary: ​​
– blood tests clinical + biochemical
– urinalysis
— RTG

Prevention of hematuria in animals

– Before stressful situations, use a pheromone collar/diffuser depending on the event
– Provide the tail with a balanced diet + plenty of fluids.