It can be scary to see the presence of blood in the urine. However, if the causes of traces of blood in the urine are multiple, they are often benign.
In the absence of health problems, urine has a yellow color. However, sometimes you can see traces of blood in the urine – this is called hematuria. If the urine has superpowers, the presence of blood is considered problematic above 10,000 red blood cells per milliliter of blood. The reasons for the presence of blood in your urine can be numerous and should be determined by your doctor after tests. In the majority of cases, these are mild problems. It may also be a red coloration of the urine not due to the presence of blood. This is the case after consuming red beets, for example. However, in the case where the person is a smoker or is elderly in particular, the presence of blood in the urine can have a more serious origin. It is therefore important to consult systematically.
Common causes of the presence of blood in the urine
Urinary tract infections are a possible cause of the existence of blood in the urine. UTIs are caused by bacteria that travel up through the urethra and colonize the bladder. In women, it is called cystitis. It is accompanied by a frequent urge to urinate and burning when urinating. Urinary tract infection should not be overlooked. Indeed, the bacteria can go up to the kidneys and trigger a more serious infection: pyelonephritis. In addition to the burns there are fever, nausea and stomach aches. Hematuria can also be caused by a prostate problem. In these three cases, the doctor prescribes an examination called ECBU (cytobacteriological examination of the urine). The presence in the urinary tract of stones, these small stones, can also explain a hematuria. In this case, an ultrasound can detect them.
Other causes of blood in the urine
If you see blood in your urine, and if you are taking aspirin-type medications, antibiotics, or blood thinners, it may just be your treatment that is causing the bleeding. Consult your doctor to be reassured about the cause of this bleeding. These should not be overlooked, as they can be due to a more serious condition such as prostate cancer, bladder cancer, or kidney cancer, especially if the person is a smoker. Indeed, the risk of bladder cancer, for example, is quadrupled by smoking. Finally, this bleeding in the urine can be the expression of a genetic disease (Alport syndrome, etc.). A medical consultation and tests will confirm this diagnosis.
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