What is blood in urine?

Seeing blood in the urine can be quite frightening. While there are many such examples, which describe the condition of blood in urine as harmless, and in many cases, blood in urine can also indicate a serious disorder.

Visible blood in the urine is called gross hematuria. Blood in the urine (which can only be seen with the help of a microscope) found when the doctor examines the urine is called microscopic hematuria. Either way, it is important to determine the cause of the bleeding, as blood in the urine can appear on its own or be associated with other causes.

Sometimes the amount of blood in the urine is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye and is detected when a urine test is done for some reason. Since there is absolutely no trace of blood in a healthy urine, it is important to have a urine test by a doctor.

Blood is found in the urine when urine passes through the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract (tube).

Types of blood in urine

How many types of problem of blood in urine are there?

Gross hematuria – In this, the amount of blood in the urine is high, which can be clearly seen by the eyes.

Microscopic hematuria – In this, the amount of blood in the urine is very small, which requires a microscope to see.

Symptoms of blood in urine

What can be the symptoms and signs of blood in urine?

Some other symptoms may also be seen in people with hematuria and its symptoms depend on the cause of blood in the urine:

pain in the back or on one side of the waist,

pain in the lower abdomen,

sudden urination,

difficulty urinating,

If enough blood is present in the urine, it can form a blood clot. A blood clot can completely block the flow of urine, causing sudden severe pain and the inability to pass urine. Severe bleeding in the urine may be due to clots. Blood clots can usually form due to some type of injury or wound in the urinary tract.

When should I see a doctor?

If a person notices blood in their urine, they should see a doctor within a day or two. But people who are having excessive amount of blood in urine, having more pain while urinating, feeling difficulty or inability to urinate, then they should go to the doctor at the same time.

Some symptoms and characteristics of people who have blood in their urine may be a cause for concern, including:

excessive amount of blood in the urine,

age after 50 years,

swelling of the legs and feet,

High blood pressure (high BP)

Causes of blood in urine

What can be the causes and risk factors of blood in urine?

Many reasons can be responsible for the presence of blood in the urine, including some benign reasons to serious reasons, such as-

Bladder infection such as cystitis – In this, pain and burning sensation are often felt while urinating.

Kidney infection – This causes high body temperature and pain on one side of the abdomen.

Kidney Stones – It is also painless at times, but sometimes it blocks a tube coming from the kidney, causing severe abdominal pain.

Urethritis – inflammation of the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra). This problem is often caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), such as chlamydia.

Enlarged Prostate Gland – This is a common condition in older men, which has nothing to do with cancer in the prostate gland. The enlarged prostate gland occupies the space of the bladder and presses on it, causing some problems, such as difficulty urinating and the need to urinate frequently.

Bladder Cancer – This often occurs in people above the age of 50, characterized by a frequent and urgent need to urinate, as well as pain while urinating.

Kidney cancer – This also often affects people above the age of 50 years. This can cause persistent pain under the ribs.

Prostate Cancer – Usually it occurs in men above 50 years of age and grows slowly. Other symptoms include an urgent need to urinate, frequent urination, and difficulty emptying the bladder.

People who are more likely to have blood in their urine include:

Having urinary stones.

Taking certain medications, including blood thinners, aspirin, antibiotics, and other pain relievers.

Vigorous exercise, such as long distance running.

Bacterial or viral infection.

Earlier someone in the family had a disease related to kidneys.

Other factors that cause urine color change are-

Certain types of foods that turn urine pink, such as beetroot.

Certain types of medicines that turn urine red or brown, eg antibiotics (nitrofurantoin and rifampicin).

Passing of blood in the urine during menstruation, which may turn it pink.

Measures to prevent blood in urine –

How can blood in urine be prevented?

Preventing blood in the urine is difficult, but there are steps you can follow to reduce your risk.

In case of kidney stones – drink plenty of fluids, monitor salt intake. Reduce intake of foods high in oxalates and animal proteins.

If you smoke – Quitting smoking is the most effective way to reduce your risk of kidney or bladder cancer. Smokers are 4-5 times more likely to develop bladder cancer than non-smokers.

Test for blood in urine

How is blood in urine tested/diagnosed?

To determine the cause of blood in the urine, the doctor may ask the patient some questions related to his symptoms, such as pain or discomfort. To diagnose this problem, the doctor also needs to test the patient's urine. If the doctors think that the patient has an infection, then they give antibiotics to the patient before the results of the rest of the tests come.

If the test result shows no evidence of infection, the patient is referred to specialists. In this situation, the doctor conducts a physical examination of the patient. This includes a rectal exam for men and a vaginal exam for women.

Several different tests are used to determine the cause of blood in the urine, such as:

Examining urine by microscopic examination not only reveals the presence of blood in the urine but also shows evidence of infection, such as white blood cells or bacteria. If there is any kind of kidney disease, then urine analysis can detect that disease.

With the help of urine culture test, the genetic material of the microorganisms can identify the exact cause.

Blood tests are done to evaluate kidney function.

Cystoscopy is a procedure in which the inside of the urethra and bladder is examined with the help of a thin tube. With the help of cystoscopy, tissue samples can also be taken, with the help of which cancer cells are detected.

Kidney diseases that cause blood in the urine, a kidney biopsy (taking a sample from the kidney for examination) may be done to test for these diseases.

Some imaging tests for the kidneys such as CT scan, ultrasound, and intranerve pyelogram are used to determine the cause of upper urinary tract bleeding.

Treatment of blood in urine

How is blood in urine treated?

Most causes of blood in the urine, such as certain medications, minor injuries, or kidney stones, are temporary with no long-term effects. Urinary tract infections are treatable for most people. Urinary tract cancer has a good prognosis if detected early. The overall prognosis of urinary tract cancer depends on the exact type of cancer.

Treatment is based on the cause of blood in the urine, which may include:

* Taking antibiotics to clear up a urinary tract infection.

* Taking prescription drugs to shrink an enlarged prostate.

* Using shock wave therapy to break up bladder or kidney stones.

In some cases, treatment may not be necessary. Until the amount of blood in the urine completely disappears, keep visiting them according to the doctor's advice.