What Causes Blood in Urine: Hematuria!

Have you ever noticed that your urine has turned brownish or red? If yes, chances are you have encountered hematuria. So, what exactly is hematuria? To put it simply, hematuria refers to the presence of blood in the urine.

Blood in the urine can stem from any point along the urinary tract, ranging from the kidneys to the urethra. Some potential causes of hematuria might include a urinary tract infection, vigorous exercise and kidney stones, to name just a few.

Cystitis with hematuria occurs when the bladder becomes inflamed and blood is present in the urine. Most of the time, this is triggered by a urinary tract infection, or UTI. Sometimes, the cause might not be overly serious. But at other times, it could be a symptom of a highly concerning health problem. Either way, it’s surely not something to be disregarded.

There are numerous natural remedies for the potential health issues that might underlie it. So, what does hematuria signify? Hematuria is not a condition in itself but rather a symptom of something else happening within the body.

Let’s delve deeper into the underlying causes of it and their natural treatment alternatives. Hopefully, your urine doesn’t visibly or unknowingly contain blood. But if it does, there are natural measures you can take to assist yourself.

What Is Hematuria?

The medical definition of hematuria: The abnormal presence of red blood cells (RBCs) in the urine. When you have hematuria, your kidneys or another component of your urinary tract are allowing blood cells to seep into your urine.

There are actually two principal types of hematuria. The first is microscopic hematuria. This type of hematuria implies that there are red blood cells in your urine, but in such a minuscule quantity that a microscope is necessary to actually detect them. Microscopic hematuria is often discovered by chance. For instance, when someone undergoes an annual physical and provides a urine sample, the urinalysis might reveal microscopic hematuria.

When someone has microscopic amounts of blood in their urine, the severity of hematuria is measured as red blood cells (RBC) per high power field (HPF) under the microscope. Generally, more than three to five RBCs per HPF is regarded as an abnormal result. When the severity exceeds 20 RBCs per HPF, then a significant urological or medical problem is likely causing the hematuria.

The second type is macroscopic, or gross, hematuria. This blood loss in the urine can be discerned with the naked eye. Someone with gross or visible hematuria can have anywhere from one milliliter to one liter of blood in the urine. The color does not reflect the extent of blood loss.

There is also a health condition known as loin pain hematuria syndrome (LPHS). This involves long-term or recurring pain in the loin area accompanied by the presence of blood in the urine. People suffering from LPHS might also experience painful urination, nausea, vomiting and/or a low-grade fever.

Signs and Symptoms

How can you determine if you have hematuria? If you have microscopic hematuria, you actually won’t be able to tell since the blood in your urine can only be detected with a microscope. However, if you have gross or visible hematuria, then you will undoubtedly be able to notice.

Common visible hematuria symptoms include having orange, pink, red, dark red or cola-colored urine. It only requires a very small amount of blood to cause urine discoloration or cloudy urine. It’s typical for a change in urine color to be the sole sign or symptom since it’s most common to have a case of painless hematuria. However, if you are also passing blood clots in your urine, then this can be painful.

Causes and Risk Factors

There are quite a number of health conditions that can give rise to hematuria. For some, particularly elderly individuals, microscopic hematuria can be the sole indication that they have some sort of illness or infection. This is just one reason why an annual physical that includes a urine sample is a good idea for people of all ages.

Hematuria causes can include:

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Kidney infections
• Kidney disease such as glomerulonephritis
• Bladder or kidney stones (both can cause microscopic or gross bleeding)
• Kidney injury
• An enlarged prostate gland
• Kidney, bladder or prostate cancer (when there is visible urinary bleeding). However, in the early stages of these cancers there may be no symptoms.
• Sickle cell anemia
• Alport syndrome (an inherited disorder like sickle cell anemia)
• Certain medications such as the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), penicillin and some anticoagulant (blood thinning) drugs

It’s not common but it is feasible for extremely intense exercise to cause gross hematuria. Runners are the most frequently affected athletes, but it can occur to anyone engaged in especially strenuous exercise.

Why does this happen? Experts believe it most likely occurs as a consequence of dehydration, bladder trauma or red blood cell breakdown due to prolonged aerobic activity. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as “sports hematuria.” According to researchers, sports hematuria typically has a “benign self-limited course,” but it’s still crucial to rule out any other causes.

Acute cystitis with hematuria can also manifest. This is a sudden inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bacterial UTI.

It is possible for anyone of any age, young or old, to have hematuria. However, there are certain risk factors that can increase the likelihood of the presence of red blood cells in the urine:

• Age (and sex): A significant number of men over the age of 50 sporadically experience hematuria because they have an enlarged prostate gland.
• Sex: Over half of all females will have a UTI at least once in their lifetime. These UTIs may or may not include urinary bleeding as a symptom. White males have the highest risk of kidney stones, which can cause blood in the urine.
• Athletes: As discussed in the causes of hematuria, very intense exercise, such as long-distance running, is more likely to lead to exercise-induced hematuria.
• Family history of kidney disease or kidney stones.
• A recent infection: For hematuria in children, kidney inflammation following a viral or bacterial infection is one of the leading causes.
• Certain medications: For example, antibiotics (like penicillin) and NSAIDs can increase the risk of urinary bleeding.

Conventional Treatment

If you can clearly observe that your urine is orange, pink, red or dark reddish brown in color, then your doctor might not order any additional tests to confirm that you have hematuria. Even if your urine suddenly returns to looking normal, it’s still advisable that you consult a urologist for an assessment.

If you have blood in your urine, then your doctor will most likely perform a physical examination and conduct some additional tests including urine tests, imaging tests and/or a cystoscopy.

Similar to blood in stool, there is no specific conventional treatment for hematuria. Just like seeing blood in your poop, seeing blood in your urine is a symptom of something else going on in your body. Since it’s possible for some serious health concerns to cause hematuria, it’s always a good idea to visit your doctor. When you see your doctor for this condition, he or she can carry out tests that can hopefully identify the root cause of the problem.

Natural Remedies

Here are some of the natural approaches to deal with several of the possible underlying causes of hematuria.

If your hematuria is caused by:

1. Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection is a very common cause of hematuria. Thankfully, there are numerous natural home remedies that can assist with a UTI and its resulting symptoms such as blood in the urine. One of the primary methods to alleviate a UTI is to urinate frequently. Studies indicate that holding urine for an extended period allows bacteria to grow and multiply within the urinary tract. This can lead to a urinary tract infection.

The next and somewhat related natural remedy is to remain hydrated. When you have a UTI, you want to flush out that bacteria. So make sure you’re drinking an adequate amount of water and urinating as necessary.

Another beverage that can be beneficial for UTIs is cranberry juice, but ensure that it is unsweetened. Research suggests that cranberry juice reduces the number of UTIs a person develops over the course of a one-year period, especially for women who struggle with recurrent UTIs.

Eating fermented foods, which are rich in probiotics, and taking a probiotic supplement are also extremely helpful as they introduce the beneficial flora into the body to combat the bad bacteria that causes a UTI.

For more ideas, check out: Top 12 Natural Home Remedies for UTI.

2. Enlarged Prostate Gland

For men, an enlarged prostate gland is more likely to become an issue as they age. Since the prostate surrounds part of the urethra, through which urine passes, an enlarged prostate can lead to urination problems as well as hematuria. In a study published in Nutrition Research and Practice, pumpkin seed oil was shown to alleviate enlarged prostate symptoms within a three-month period.

Maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular exercise can significantly enhance prostate health. Limiting caffeine and alcohol while increasing the intake of healthy fats, such as omega 3 fatty acids, can also be beneficial.

3. Kidney Stones

If you wish to avoid or naturally treat your kidney stones, then there are several foods you’ll want to avoid or reduce as much as possible. These foods include those high in oxalic acid (such as spinach, rhubarb, tomatoes and peanuts), caffeinated beverages, grapefruit juice, processed factory farm meats and conventional dairy products.

Adhering to a plant-based diet with plenty of magnesium-rich foods and high-quality water can help decrease the likelihood of kidney stones. Hot water with lemon juice is an excellent daily drink for kidney stone sufferers. Choosing sprouted grains instead of refined grain products is also a good idea to reduce your intake of phytic acid, which is an anti-nutrient.

4. Bladder Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, hematuria is typically the first sign of bladder cancer. This doesn’t imply that all instances of hematuria indicate someone has cancer, but it is common for bladder cancer to reveal itself in the early stages with blood in the urine, but with little to no pain or additional symptoms.

This is another reason that if any blood is detected in the urine, you must consult a healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Many scientific studies have pointed to Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) oil as a potential natural treatment for cancer. One study concludes that “frankincense oil might represent an alternative intravesical agent for bladder cancer treatment.”

Precautions

If you notice blood in your urine, always contact your doctor immediately. Even if it stops, you should still seek a medical evaluation.

It is important to note that consuming beets can temporarily change the color of your urine to a pinkish or reddish hue. Other foods that can cause temporary urine discoloration when consumed include blackberries, rhubarb, blueberries, fava beans, paprika, and artificial food colorings.

Certain medications can also cause a red pigmentation of the urine. Some of these drugs include: rifampin, sulfonamides, nitrofurantoin, metronidazole, prochlorperazine, phenytoin, quinine, phenolphthalein, levodopa, methyldopa, adriamycin, desferoxamine, chloroquine and phenazopyridine.

If you’re a woman, it’s also normal to observe blood in the urine during menstruation.

Final Thoughts

Seeing blood in your urine can be highly alarming, and it’s definitely not something to overlook. Sometimes, it might just be that you forgot you ate something the previous night that could affect the color of your pee. Or perhaps, you were unaware that you are currently taking a medication that can cause the discoloration. Other times, there might be a more serious underlying cause.

No matter the underlying issue, there are numerous helpful natural remedies for the range of health concerns that can lead to hematuria. Again, it’s important to note that it is not a condition, but a symptom of something else happening within your body.