Hematuria - blood in the urine - definition and causes
Hhat is Hematuria - Blood in the Urine and Causes
Hematuria is BLOOD in the URINE. Hematuria may result from numerous circumstances and always requires medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause. Though BLADDER CANCER is uncommon, hematuria often is the earliest sign of its presence. Gross hematuria occurs when the amount of blood in the urine is sufficient to discolor the urine (typically pink, red, or brown). Occult, or microscopic, hematuria occurs when the amount of blood in the urine is very slight, detected during microscopic examination of the urine.
Symptoms of Hematuria and Diagnosis
Urinalysis is the first step of the diagnostic path, with additional diagnostic procedures, depending on the findings and the symptoms. Treatment targets the underlying cause. Certain medications or foods may cause the urine to be pink or red, in which case the urinalysis shows there to be few erythrocytes (red blood cells) present in the urine. MENSTRUATION may also give the appearance of blood in the urine.
| CONDITIONS FOR WHICH HEMATURIA IS A COMMON SYMPTOM | |
|---|---|
| BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH) | BLADDER CANCER |
| BLUNT TRAUMA to the abdomen or back | CHLAMYDIA |
| CYSTITIS | EPIDIDYMITIS |
| GENITAL TRAUMA | GONORRHEA |
| PROSTATITIS | pyelonephritis |
| TRICHOMONIASIS | URETHRITIS |
| URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) | UROLITHIASIS |
See also ANURIA; DYSURIA; ENURESIS; NOCTURIA; OLIGURIA.
