Blood In Urine
Hematuria
An indicator of a variety of causes
Hematuria is the presence of blood in the urine. Whether the blood is visible only under a microscope or visible to the naked eye, hematuria is a sign that something is causing bleeding in the genitourinary tract which could be the kidneys, the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), the prostate gland (in men), the bladder, or the urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body).
Bleeding may happen once or it may be recurrent. It can indicate different problems in men and women. Causes of this condition range from non–life threatening (e.g., urinary tract infection) to profoundly serious (e.g., cancer, kidney disease). Therefore, a physician should be consulted as soon as possible.
Most Common Causes:
- Benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) in men over 40
- Kidney and bladder stones
- Kidney disease
- Viral infections of the urinary tract and sexually transmitted diseases, particularly in women
- Trauma (e.g., a blow to the kidneys)
- Tumors and/or cancer in the urinary system
- Urinary tract blockages
- Medications (e.g., quinine, rifampin, phenytoin)
Signs and Symptoms
In many cases, blood in the urine is the only sign of a problem. In other cases, a variety of symptoms, such as the following, may be present.
- Abdominal pain
- Decreased urinary force, hesitance, incomplete voiding
- Fever
- Frequent urination (polyuria)
- Pain during urination (dysuria)
- Pain in the flank or side
- Urinary urgency
