Hematuria — this is the fancy medical term used by doctors to refer to the presence of blood in the urine. In this article, we will focus on some of the most common causes of having blood in your pee. But before we take a look at them, let us first tackle a few very important related matters.
The presence of blood in the pee can either be gross or microscopic:
Gross hematuria
Blood present in the urine can be easily noticed. This causes your pee to appear pink, red or sometimes even tea-colored. Do take note that certain foods can also cause your urine to look noticeably different, but it can be very hard to tell if the change in color is due to the presence of blood or just something that you placed in your mouth earlier.
Microscopic hematuria
Based on its name alone, it’s quite clear that blood present in the urine can only be observed under a microscope. It goes without saying that having microscopic hematuria does not change the appearance of your pee at all.
Blood in your urine can come from the kidneys. However, it’s also possible for it to originate from somewhere else in your excretory system such as the ureters, urinary bladder and urethra.
Realizing that there’s blood in your urine can be quite alarming. The good news is that health authorities confirm that most cases of it are harmless and go away on their own after some time. However, in some instances hematuria could be due to a serious underlying medical problem, so it’s also important to report the problem to your doctor.
Let’s now take a look at some of the most common causes of blood in urine:
Urinary Tract Infection
A lot of people are aware of the fact that a urinary tract infection or UTI can cause a burning sensation while peeing and having a frequent urge to urinate. Not everyone knows that a UTI can also cause hematuria. The presence of blood in the urine if you have a UTI can be noticed by the naked eye or only under a microscope.
Pyelonephritis
Simply put, pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidneys. Various kidney and bladder conditions, a suppressed immune system and an enlarged prostate can cause pyelonephritis to come into being. Health authorities say that the symptoms of pyelonephritis are similar to those of a UTI, although it also tends to cause flank pain and fever.
Glomerulonephritis
The inflammation of the filtering systems inside the kidneys is a kidney disease referred to by doctors as glomerulonephritis. While it may occur on its own, there are instances in which it can be brought about by another health-related concern such as diabetes, lupus and even something as simple as a strep throat.
Kidney or Bladder Stones
Your pee contains certain minerals, and it’s very much likely for them to clump together and form crystals if your urine is highly concentrated, usually as a result of not drinking enough water. Sometimes a kidney or bladder stone can cause pain and also gross or microscopic hematuria as it moves from one part of your excretory system to the other.
Prostate Issues
In men, blood in the urine is sometimes brought about by problems concerning the prostate, a walnut-sized gland whose main role is to provide the sperm cells with protection and nourishment. Hematuria can be caused by an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) and prostate infection (prostatitis).
Certain Medications
Someone who is taking blood thinners or anticoagulants may notice the presence of blood in the urine from time to time. Even something that’s commonly taken as penicillin can in fact cause blood in your urine. Report the problem to your doctor as it’s not a good idea for you to simply stop taking a prescription drug.
