Discovering blood in your urine can be a frightening experience. Some people may choose to ignore it until surgery is the only option, while others might feel the need to rush to the emergency room with the dreaded “C” word consuming their thoughts. Trace amounts of blood in the urine can be normal and it is not always an indicator of cancer. It only takes 1/5 of a teaspoon of blood in a 1/2 quart of urine to turn it pinkish, red, or smoky brown. This can happen just once, which might feel like a strange random event – or it can be a chronic problem. In some cases, a cause is never identified and the situation is not a serious problem. Regardless, the situation should be monitored by your doctor so that anything serious can be ruled out.
While the most common causes of blood in urine among people under 40 are kidney stones and urinary tract infections, for those over 40 this can raise concerns that cancer of the kidney, bladder or prostate might be the culprit. Other causes include:
- Benign enlargement of the prostate (common in older men)
- Blockage of the urinary tract by a stone or tumor
- Compression from surrounding structures in the urinary tract
- A narrowing of the opening of the urinary tract
- Kidney disease
- Blood-clotting disorders
- Injury to the upper or lower urinary tract from a fall or accident
- Some medications such as blood thinners or aspirin
- Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and sickle cell anemia
- Inflammation of the kidney
- Viral infection
- Strenuous exercise (like running) can sometimes jar the bladder repeatedly
Keep in mind that there are other possible reasons for why your urine may appear pink, red or brown. Certain foods like beets, berries and rhubarb, as well as food colorings and medications, can change your urine color. It is important to remember this before sounding off all of the alarms. On the other hand, if you are experiencing fever and pain along with blood in your urine, then you should get to the doctor right away; this could be a severe kidney infection and delaying treatment will only make it worse.
Information taken fromwww.emedicinehealth.com
Carrie Robertson
Research & Community Education