Blood in your urine (hematuria) is an indicator that something may be amiss, yet may not be serious. You could get it from intense exercise or certain medications and diseases; some inherited genetic disorders could even trigger it.
Your doctor can diagnose it by asking about your symptoms and performing tests on blood, urine and other samples such as dipstick test, urinalysis cystoscopy cystoscopy and imaging tests like ultrasound or CT scan.
Causes
Gross hematuria (which appears during laboratory tests) or microscopic hematuria that only shows up later can be caused by several things, including vigorous exercise such as long distance running. Other causes may include wearing old shoes with hard soles, eating certain red-hued foods like beets or rhubarb which turn the urine reddish in color, wearing old footwear without proper cushioning, wearing hard-soled shoes that need replacing regularly, eating certain beets/rhubarb that turns it reddish in the urinary system and cancerous growths within these organs may also contribute.
Most cases of blood in urine after vigorous exercise are benign and will resolve on their own with rest or on a separate occasion. If your doctor can’t identify a cause, they might suggest returning for more urine testing to monitor it further in future. In certain instances, however, blood in your urine could indicate more serious health concerns that require immediate medical care; thus it’s crucial that if it appears suddenly that you consult with a healthcare provider immediately if blood appears.
Symptoms
Reacting negatively when you encounter blood in your urine may be disconcerting, but it shouldn’t be dangerous. Hematuria occurs when red blood cells from your kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra have leaked into the urine stream – otherwise known as hemolysis. As long as bleeding stops within 72 hours (ie, no further issues arise), then chances are it won’t pose serious health concerns; but it is still wise to investigate why and treat its source accordingly – perhaps through antibiotics for UTI or surgery for kidney/bladder stones etc.
Sometimes urine may look pink, red, or cola-colored due to a large accumulation of red blood cells – this condition is called gross hematuria – while in other instances the bleeding is so small it’s only detectable by medical testing – the person may suffer painless microscopic hematuria; their doctor should typically treat whatever may have caused this. This could range from pushing too hard during workouts or pushing too far during life in general all the way to more serious causes such as kidney or bladder cancer.
Treatment
People who find blood in their urine should consult with a healthcare provider immediately, since it could indicate serious conditions like kidney disease or cancer that need prompt medical care to address. Seeking prompt treatment can help the person feel better quicker while decreasing long-term complications.
People experiencing blood in their urine, also known as hematuria, should see their doctor within two days for evaluation. A physical exam and urine samples will likely be collected for testing before imaging studies like CT scan or kidney ultrasound might also be ordered to help pinpoint its source. A cystoscopy will allow direct viewing of the inside of their bladder; any visible blood is known as gross hematuria while any microscopic bleeding must be seen through a microscope to be diagnosed as microscopic hematuria.
Prevention
Blood in urine may not be common, but that shouldn’t cause alarm. Most often it’s caused by something relatively harmless like minor trauma or infection of the urinary tract; however, more serious problems like kidney stones or cancer could also cause blood in your pee. When this happens it’s wise to contact your physician immediately as they can run tests to pinpoint its source.
Some individuals are more prone to hematuria than others, particularly older adults. Family histories of kidney disease or a rare blood disorder can increase your risk, while medications like blood thinners and certain pain relievers could contribute to it as well as being dehydrated – it’s often wiser to stay well-hydrated during exercise if running, for instance; drinking plenty of water while running could also help to keep this problem at bay; alternatively it might help if exercising during cooler times or by limiting high-intensity workouts can help.
