The human body, while amazing and full of positives, isn’t flawless. We have to deal with conditions and diseases all of the time. Some are straightforward, and some can be quite tedious. Here, we’re going to be discussing Hematuria, the symptoms, the causes, and the impact it can have on a person.
What Specifically Is Hematuria?
Hematuria is blood in one’s urine. It can be called gross hematuria, or visible hematuria whenever urine is red, or pink and very obviously present. Sometimes, blood can be in urine but is not entirely visible; this is known as microscopic hematuria.
There are many causes of this – most of which aren’t usually worried about. Whenever you feel as though something might be awkward, however. It’s good to speak to your health care provider.
What Are the Causes?
It’s an issue that has so many different causes – there will not just be one or two specific problems. The first idea that should be pondered is that of a urinary infection. One might also have to think about kidney disorders – and various other kidney issues such as stones, kidney trauma, kidney disease, and cancer.
For men, it may be due to an enlarged prostate (or a prostate infection), and women may be dealing with aspects of their period. Bladder cancer, or cancer of the urinary tract can also be a cause, but it’s something someone would want to visit their doctor about to identify the true cause.
What Are the Symptoms?
As mentioned before, if you have visible hematuria, then you’re going to be able to see an abundance of red and pink in your urine due to the presence of red blood cells. It usually isn’t painful – unless there are passing blood clots in your urine.
The Diagnosis
Regarding the diagnosis, a doctor will look to review risks for cancer and check to see if there are other causes of your hematuria. At your examination they will ask the general medical history questions, paying special attention to whether you have risks for cancer such as smoking, environmental exposure, and chemotherapy or not. You’ll also be checked for any non-cancerous conditions, or previous procedures.
If any more tests are required, your doctor will arrange for another appointment. They’ll assess your cancer risk as either low, intermediate. They’ll base it on the likes of age, smoking history, symptoms, number of red blood cells in the urine, gender, and lots of other aspects.
How Will You Be Tested?
You’ll first be tested to determine if there is an abnormality of the bladder. You’ll then have your urinary tract looked at. The first is done with a fiber-optic camera; the second will be done via CT scan.
Regarding the low, intermediate, and high risks, here is how these values are determined:
Low
Most low-risk patients will rarely have cancer, so doctors will likely discuss the benefits and drawbacks of further testing. A repeat test will likely happen in six months’ time. This will be repeated if blood shows again. If not, then the patient will be told to watch for more symptoms. If the patient prefers to be tested immediately, then a cystoscopy and renal ultrasound may happen.
Intermediate
A cystoscopy will be immediate for those deemed to have an immediate risk. The bladder will be looked at and a renal ultrasound will look at the kidneys.
High
High-risk patients will have all of the above plus a CT scan of the abdomen in order to look at the lining of the urinary tract.
In all cases, be sure and check with a local kidney doctor who can accurately diagnose your health.