The presence of blood in the urine, called hematuria, is a change in the urinary system that may be visible, by changing the color of the urine to a more reddish tone (gross hematuria).
In these cases, the urine becomes pinkish, reddish or quite similar to blood, with blood clots, even in more severe cases. It may also be invisible when the presence of blood is so small that it can only be detected through laboratory tests (microscopic hematuria).
A single drop of blood is enough for the urine to change color. Dozens of conditions can cause bleeding in the urine, some of them harmless, others very serious, among them:
- Calculus (stone) in the kidneys or ureters (a major cause, should be investigated);
- Urinary tract infections;
- Cancer of the kidneys, prostate or bladder (usually older people);
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH);
- Urethritis due to sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea;
- Polycystic kidney disease;
- Glomerulone diseases, such as glomerulonephritis;
- Systemic lupus erythematosus;
- Sickle cell anemia;
- Trauma in the kidney, bladder, or prostate region;
- Medical procedures in the urinary tract, such as biopsy of the kidney prostate biopsy, lithotripsy, urinary endoscopy, etc .;
- Urethral wounds after passage of bladder catheter;
- Radical cystitis (bladder injury by radiotherapy);
- Medications (eg pyridium, rifampicin, phenytoin, nitrofurantoin, among others);
- Urinary tuberculosis;
- Excess calcium in the urine;
- Endometriosis;
Harmless hematuria:
- Thin membrane disease: It is common for the individual to present a microscopic hematuria without having any identified cause, even with intense investigation. These individuals usually have thin membrane disease (or familial benign hematuria), a genetic change in the membranes of the glomeruli causing blood loss in the urine without any clinical significance. This change does not pose any risk to the patient.
- Hematuria after physical exertion: Hematuria after physical exertion is a urinary bleeding, macro or microscopic, that arises after performing any strenuous physical activity. It is usually transient and disappears after a few days of rest. If the patient is young, healthy, has no other complaints and the hematuria disappears with rest, there is no need for further investigation.
In the case of blood in the urine, a doctor (preferably a urologist) should be consulted. He / she may evaluate in detail, through anamnesis, a physical examination and any complementary tests, what his / her correct diagnosis is, guide him and prescribe the best treatment, or refer him to a specialist from another area if necessary, case by case.
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