Hematuria (Blood in Urine)
What is hematuria?
Hematuria means blood in the urine. Microscopic hematuria means that the blood is seen only
when the urine is examined under a microscope. Gross hematuria means that there is enough
blood in the urine to be seen without a microscope. It causes the urine to look pink, red, or
sometimes brown.
Certain kinds of foods, like beets or blackberries, may give the urine a reddish tint. This should
only last for a day or so after eating these foods. A few medicines may also turn the urine reddish.
If you have started a new medicine and notice a color change in your urine, call your pharmacist
to see if that is normal. If the redness persists and cannot be explained by food or medicine,
consult your health care provider promptly.
How does it occur?
Hematuria is a sign that something is causing bleeding in the urinary tract. The urinary tract
includes the kidneys, the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), the
bladder, and the urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body). Some common
causes of blood in the urine are:
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urinary tract (bladder) infection
strenuous exercise
kidney disease
a stone in your bladder or in a kidney
an inherited disease such as sickle cell anemia or systemic lupus erythematosus
medicines such as blood thinners, including heparin (Calciparine, Liquaemin), warfarin
(Coumadin), or aspirin-type medicines; penicillins; sulfa-containing drugs;
cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
a prostate infection
injury to any part of the urinary tract (for example, falling off a bike might bruise your
kidney)
a tumor in your urinary tract.
How is it diagnosed?
Urine that has blood in it may appear pink, bright red, or sometimes brown. If you have blood in
your urine, your health care provider will ask about other symptoms and examine you. If the
cause is clear, your health care provider will treat you. If the cause isn't clear, you may need to
have more tests such as:
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urine tests
blood tests
ultrasound scan of your bladder and kidneys
intravenous pyelogram (an x-ray of the urinary tract)
cystoscopy (a procedure that allows your provider to look at the urinary tract with a slim,
flexible, lighted tube inserted through the urethra).
How is it treated?
The treatment of hematuria depends on its cause.
How long do the effects last?
How long hematuria lasts depends on its cause. For example, hematuria related to strenuous
exercise usually goes away within 1 or 2 days after the exercise. Hematuria from a urinary tract
infection will end when the infection is cured. Other causes might take longer to clear up.