Definition

Hematuria is blood in the urine. Normally, urine does not contain any blood.

There are two kinds of hematuria:

• Microscopic hematuria—small amount of blood that is not visible to the naked eye
• Gross hematuria—enough blood to make urine appear red or tea-colored

Causes

In some people, the cause is not known. Many things can cause this problem. Some common ones are:

• Injury to the belly, pelvis, or internal organs of the urinary tract
• Certain medicines
• Strenuous exercise
• Urinary tract infection or kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Kidney disease
• Bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia
• Cancer of the prostate, kidney, or bladder
• Radiation of the pelvis for cancer treatment
• Certain congenital diseases, such as polycystic kidneys

Risk Factors

Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:

• Smoking
• Taking certain medicines, such as antibiotics and pain relievers
• A family history of kidney problems

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Symptoms

You may not have any other symptoms.

You may also have symptoms related to the cause. For example, kidney stones can cause pain in the side, belly, or groin.

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. You may be referred to a specialist.

To help find a cause, your doctor may do:

• Urine tests
• Blood tests

Your pelvic and belly structures may need to be viewed. This can be done with:

• Ultrasound
• CT scan
• X-ray
• Intravenous pyelogram
• MRI scan
• Cystoscopy —a scope is passed up into the bladder

Treatment

Some people will not need treatment. Symptoms may go away on their own.

In others, treatment will depend on the cause. Medicine or surgery may be needed.

Prevention

Prevention will depend on the cause.