What Blood in the Urine Looks Like
Blood in the urine can be visible, turning urine pink, red, or brown, or microscopic, detected only through a urine test. It may or may not be accompanied by pain, depending on the cause.
Common Causes
Common causes include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, and, less commonly, a tumor in the kidney, bladder, or prostate. Certain medications and vigorous exercise can also be contributing factors.
From Evaluation to Treatment
A urine test confirms the presence of blood and checks for signs of infection.
Imaging, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, looks for stones, masses, or other structural causes.
In select cases, a cystoscopy, a direct look inside the bladder, is used to further investigate the cause.
Treatment is directed at the specific cause identified, ranging from antibiotics for an infection to further evaluation for a mass or tumor.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Blood in the urine has several possible causes, including infection and kidney stones. Evaluation is important because it helps rule out more serious causes, such as a tumour, particularly when the cause isn't otherwise obvious.
Yes. Even a single episode of visible blood in the urine should be evaluated, since it can be difficult to predict which cases have a more serious underlying cause.
Depending on the suspected cause, evaluation may include a urine test, imaging, and in some cases a cystoscopy to look directly inside the bladder.
Once the underlying cause is identified, treatment is directed at that specific condition, whether it is an infection, a stone, an enlarged prostate, or another finding.
Book a Consultation for Blood in Urine
Blood in the urine is easy to dismiss as a one-time issue, but it always deserves a proper evaluation. Bringing a description of when it occurred, and any prior urine test results, to the first consultation is the most useful starting point.