– Hematuria is the medical term for blood in the urine. It can be a sign of various conditions, some more serious than others. It is important to see a doctor if you notice blood in your urine, even if it is not visible to the naked eye.
🔅 Possible Causes of Hematuria
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
• This is a common infection that affects the bladder, urethra, or kidneys. It can cause burning, pain, or urgency when urinating, as well as blood in the urine. UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics.
Kidney Stones
• These are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys or urinary tract. They can cause severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and blood in the urine. Kidney stones may pass on their own or require medical intervention, such as medication, shock wave therapy, or surgery.
Enlarged Prostate
• This is a condition that affects men as they age. The prostate gland grows larger and presses on the urethra, causing urinary problems such as difficulty starting or stopping the urine flow, frequent or urgent urination, and blood in the urine. Enlarged prostate can be treated with medication, surgery, or other procedures.
Kidney Disease
• This is a condition that affects the function of the kidneys, which filter waste and fluid from the blood. Kidney disease can cause swelling, fatigue, high blood pressure, and blood in the urine. Kidney disease can be caused by various factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infection, or genetic disorders. Kidney disease can be treated with medication, dialysis, or kidney transplant.
Bladder Cancer
• This is a type of cancer that starts in the lining of the bladder. It can cause blood in the urine, frequent or painful urination, and pelvic pain. Bladder cancer can be diagnosed with tests such as urine analysis, cystoscopy, or biopsy. Bladder cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy.
Kidney cancer
• This is a type of cancer that starts in the kidneys. It can cause blood in the urine, back pain, weight loss, and fever. Kidney cancer can be diagnosed with tests such as urine analysis, ultrasound, CT scan, or biopsy. Kidney cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or targeted therapy.
🔅 Diagnosis for Hematuria:
– Hematuria can be diagnosed through a physical exam and urine test. A urine test can detect the presence of red blood cells in the urine, either by using a chemical strip (called a dipstick) or by looking at the urine under a microscope.
Sometimes, a urine test alone is not enough to diagnose hematuria and its cause. In that case, other tests and exams may be needed, such as:
Imaging tests
– These are tests that use X-rays, sound waves, or magnetic fields to create pictures of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. They can help identify any abnormalities or blockages that may cause bleeding. Some examples of imaging tests are CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound.
Cystoscopy
– This is a procedure that uses a thin tube with a camera and light (called a cystoscope) to examine the inside of the bladder and urethra. It can help detect any signs of infection, inflammation, stones, or tumors that may cause bleeding.
Biopsy
– This is a procedure that involves taking a small sample of tissue from the urinary tract for further analysis. It can help diagnose or rule out cancer or other diseases that may cause bleeding.
– The type and number of tests and exams that are needed to diagnose hematuria depend on several factors, such as the age, gender, medical history, symptoms, and risk factors of the person. It is your physician's best decision to determine which test will work out for your case. The goal of diagnosis is to find the cause of hematuria and to rule out any serious or life-threatening conditions.
🔅 Preventive and treatment measures for hematuria
1) Hydrating: Drinking plenty of fluids to flush out the urinary tract and prevent infections or stones that can cause bleeding.
2) Antibiotics: Taking antibiotics to clear a urinary tract infection, which is a common cause of hematuria.
3) Trying prescription medicine to shrink an enlarged prostate, which can compress the urethra and cause bleeding in men.
4) Having a procedure that uses sound waves to break up bladder or kidney stones, which can irritate or block the urinary tract and cause bleeding.
5) Avoiding or limiting alcohol, smoking, caffeine, and foods that are high in iron, oxalate, or purine, as they can increase the risk of hematuria or worsen the underlying condition.
6) Seeking medical attention if hematuria persists, recurs, or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain, fever, or weight loss, as it may indicate a serious problem such as cancer or kidney disease.
🔅 Dietary recommendations
– The kind of diet that a patient with hematuria should have depends on the cause and severity of the condition.
Below are general dietary recommendations for patients with hematuria:
• Eating foods that are low in iron, such as white meat, eggs, dairy products, and grains, as iron can accumulate in the organs and cause damage.
• Eating foods that inhibit iron absorption, such as tea, coffee, calcium-rich foods, and foods high in oxalic acid (such as spinach, rhubarb, and chocolate), as they can reduce the amount of iron that enters the bloodstream.
• Eating foods that are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish oil, as they can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.
• Eating foods that are diuretic and alkaline, such as cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, coconut water, and spinach juice, as they can help flush out the urinary tract and balance the pH level of the urine.
