Urinating blood is an alarming medical condition. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible. If you wish to understand the possible reasons behind urinating blood, then read through the following article.
The condition of urinating blood is medically termed as hematuria. It can be grouped into two categories: microscopic and gross. Microscopic hematuria is characterized by the presence of a small amount of blood in the urine. The amount is so little that a microscopic view is required to detect the presence of blood.
Gross hematuria, on the other hand, is marked by the presence of enough blood in the urine. The amount of blood is so high that it can be seen with the naked eye. You can see spots of blood in the water after urinating. In case of women, blood is present in the urine when it comes from the vagina. Whereas in case of men, it comes from an injured prostate.
Probable Causes of Urinating Blood
Cancer
Cancer is defined as a class of disease in which a group of cells show uncontrolled division, much beyond the normal limit. It may affect any part of the body including the kidney and bladder. Microscopic hematuria is one of the most common symptoms of kidney or bladder cancer. In both kidney or bladder cancer, there is a risk of the cancer spreading to the lungs producing respiratory symptoms.
The reasons behind the occurrence of cancer in these organs are cigarette smoking, exposure to industrial chemicals, and excessive use of phenacetin-containing pain killer drugs. Diagnosis includes laboratory examination of the urine and blood, X-rays, and ultrasound.
Bladder Stones
Bladder stones are defined as crystalline masses formed from minerals and proteins. Urine normally contains minerals and proteins. These stones can form anywhere in the urinary tract before getting deposited in the bladder. They start forming as very small granules, about the size of a grain of sand. They keep growing and reach the size of an inch in diameter. The bladder stones can block the flow of urine causing pain and difficulty while urinating. They can even scratch the bladder wall, which in turn leads to bleeding or infection.
Kidney Failure
Kidney failure is mainly of two types: acute and chronic. Acute kidney failure is described as the sudden loss of the kidney’s functionality to eliminate excess fluids, salts, and waste materials from the blood. It develops rapidly over a couple of hours or few days. It is more common in people who are already suffering from some kind of an ailment and are under intensive medical care. Chronic kidney failure is the slow and progressive loss of the kidney’s ability to function well. It develops over a span of years, and often results in permanent kidney failure.
It has been commonly observed that chronic kidney failure usually goes undiagnosed, until it has reached its advanced stages. Patients of permanent kidney failure either need a dialysis or transplanted kidney for their kidneys to function normally. There are some characteristic symptoms common to both the types of kidney failure. They are frequent urination, difficulty in urination, and presence of blood in the urine. The urine of the affected person may appear foamy or bubbly.
Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis is a type of kidney disorder in which the part of the kidney that helps in filtering wastes and fluids from the blood gets damaged. It is again of two types namely: acute and chronic. It is also categorized as primary and secondary. When this disorder occurs on its own, it is called primary glomerulonephritis. If it is caused by some other disease, like lupus or diabetes, it is called secondary glomerulonephritis. Its treatment largely depends upon the type.
Some of the common symptoms of this disorder are cola-colored or diluted urine, foamy urine due to the presence of excess protein, fatigue, less frequent urination, high blood pressure, and presence of blood in the urine.
Hematuria can also be a side effect of the overdose of mefenamic acid (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat pain). However, the indicants of renal failure may become evident several days after an overdose. Described above are some of the numerous possible causes of urinating blood. By now, you must have got an idea about the seriousness of the problem. Fix an appointment with a medical practitioner at the earliest if you observe traces of blood in the urine. Timely medical attention will help in diagnosing the underlying cause of the problem and treating it effectively.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
