Blood urine may be called hematuria or hemoglobinuria depending on the amount of red blood cells and hemoglobin found in the urine during microscopic evaluation. Most of the time, urine with isolated blood doesn’t cause symptoms, but some symptoms can occur as the cause, such as burning when urinating, pink urine, and the presence of blood strands in the urine, for example.
The presence of blood in the urine is usually related to kidney or urinary tract problems, but it can also occur from excessive physical activity, and is not a problem if it lasts less than 24 hours. In the specific case of women, bloody urine may also appear during menstruation and should not be alarming.
The main causes of blood in the urine are
It is common for women to see blood in their urine during their period, especially in the early days of the cycle. Throughout the cycle, it is common for urine to return to a normal color, but in the urine test it is always possible to identify the presence of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin in the urine and, therefore, the test during this period is not recommended, as this may interfere with the result.
What to do: Blood in your urine during your period is normal and therefore does not require treatment. However, if blood is checked for several days, not only in the first few days of the cycle, or if blood is tested even outside your period, it is important to consult your gynecologist to find the cause and start treatment. farther away. Appropriate.
Urinary tract infection is more common in women and usually leads to certain symptoms, such as frequent urination, pain when urinating, and a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen.
The presence of blood in the urine in this case is more common than when the infection is already at a later stage and when there are large amounts of microorganisms. Thus, when examining urine, it is common to observe many bacteria, leukocytes and epithelial cells, in addition to red blood cells. Look for other situations where red blood cells may be in your urine.
What to do: It is important to consult a gynecologist or urologist, as urinary tract infection should be treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor based on the identified microorganism.
Kidney stones, also known as kidney stones, are more common in adults, but can occur at any age and cause burns when urinating, severe back pain and nausea.
During the urine test, in addition to the presence of red blood cells, cylinders and crystals are often found depending on the type of stone present in the kidneys. Here’s how to tell you if you have kidney stones.
What to do: Kidney stones are a medical emergency because of the severe pain it causes and, therefore, it is recommended to go to the emergency room as soon as possible to be able to establish the most appropriate treatment. In some cases, the use of certain medications to eliminate stones in the urine may be indicated, but when even with the use of the drug there is no elimination or when the calculation is very large, surgery is recommended to promote its destruction and removal. .
The use of certain blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin or aspirin, may cause blood to appear in the urine, especially in elderly patients.
What to do: In these cases, it is recommended to consult the doctor who indicated the use of the drug to adjust the dose or modify the treatment.
The presence of blood can often indicate kidney, bladder and prostate cancer and is therefore one of the main symptoms indicative of cancer in humans. In addition to the change in urine, other signs and symptoms may also occur, such as urinary incontinence, pain when urinating, and unexplained weight loss, such as.
What to do: It is recommended to consult a gynecologist, in the case of the woman, or a urologist, in the case of the man, if these symptoms appear or if the blood appears for no apparent reason, since as soon as it is diagnosed is performed, the sooner the treatment is started and the greater the chances of recovery.
Blood urine during pregnancy is usually caused by a urinary tract infection, however, blood can come from the vagina and mix with urine, indicating more serious problems, such as placental detachment, which should be treated as soon as possible. to prevent changes in the baby’s development.
For example, whenever bloody urine appears during pregnancy, it is advisable to inform the obstetrician immediately so that he or she can perform the necessary diagnostic tests and begin appropriate treatment.
Blood urine in newborns is not usually severe, as it can be caused by the presence of urate crystals in the urine, which give a red or pink color, giving the impression that the baby has blood in the urine.
For example, to treat bloody urine in the newborn, parents should give the baby water several times a day to dilute urine. However, if the blood in your urine doesn’t go away after 2 to 3 days, it’s recommended to consult your pediatrician to diagnose the problem and start appropriate treatment.
Learn about the other causes of blood in your baby’s diaper
It is recommended to consult the gynecologist, in the case of women, or the urologist, in the case of men, when urine with blood is persistent, for more than 48 hours, there are difficulties in urinating or urinary incontinence, or when other symptoms such as when fever appears above 38 C, severe pain when urinating or vomiting.
To identify the cause of your bloody urine, your doctor may order diagnostic tests, such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or cystoscopy.