What Are the Symptoms and Causes of Hematuria?
Hematuria, or the presence of blood in urine, is more of a symptom rather than a medical condition in itself. Although it can indicate a serious underlying disorder, most of the time, it is not of immediate concern. In some cases, the blood cells in urine are not visible to the naked eye and are visible only under a microscope. This condition is referred to as microscopic hematuria. When the blood cells are clearly visible, the condition is referred to as gross hematuria. In both cases, it is better to get the condition evaluated to rule out the possibility of any serious underlying medical issues. As hematuria is more of an indicator of an underlying health condition, it does not have any specific treatment. All treatments are aimed at controlling the health issue that leads to hematuria.
The blood in urine might come from different parts of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, or urethra. Gross hematuria can be clearly identified by the presence of blood cells in urine, and is characterized by the pink, red, or light brown color of urine. In the case of microscopic hematuria, the color of the urine may not have any visible change. Apart from the change in the color of urine, there may not be any other obvious symptoms for hematuria. Based on the underlying cause for the condition, hematuria may be associated with other symptoms, like bladder infections, kidney infections, kidney stones, and kidney disease.
Some of the symptoms of disease that cause hematuria include:
- Pain while urinating
- Fever
- Lack of appetite
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Pain in the lower back
- Severe pelvic pain
- High blood pressure
- Swelling in the body
Hematuria may be caused by:
- Bladder or kidney infections
- Kidney stones
- Kidney diseases
- Prostate cancer
- Prostate enlargement
- Certain medications like aspirin, pencillin, heparin, or cyclophosphamide
- Kidney or bladder tumors
- Strenuous physical exercise
- Urinary tract infections
- Blood clotting disorder
- Chronic diseases, like diabetes and hypertension
- Viral infections
It is also possible that several conditions that lead to hematuria may exist at the same time. Some of the conditions that result in hematuria are not serious and do not need any treatment. If the underlying condition is not of concern, it may resolve on its own after a period of time. In any case, it is always better to get the condition evaluated by a physician.
