Even a small amount of blood in the urine can be a sign of a serious condition. Therefore, it should never be ignored. The most common explanation for this problem, called hematuria, is a urinary tract infection. Blockage of or damage to the urethra or other problems with the bladder, can produce bloody urine as well.
Several problems in the kidneys can also cause hematuria. Possible conditions and other associated symptoms are:
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Kidney stone (symptoms: sudden pain in side and groin)
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Blood clots in the kidney
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Infection (symptoms: fever, back pain, nausea, painful stomach or abdomen, and painful urination)
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Tumor (symptoms: abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, and high blood pressure)
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Toxic medications or poisons (symptoms: drugs or chemicals processed out of the body through the kidneys can damage the tissue if taken in dangerously high amounts; symptoms of overdose will vary)
Problems elsewhere in the body that can cause blood in the urine include internal bleeding, hemophilia, leukemia, and other blood disorders. In a few patients, no explanation is found.
| Bad Sign: Blood in the Urine Bleeding can start anywhere in the urinary tract; but no matter the source, it's a cause for concern. Fortunately, the most common cause, an infection, is easily remedied. Among the other possible causes: kidney stones caught in the kidney itself, the bladder, or the ureter leading to the bladder; blood clots or tumors in the kidney; or a hematoma (a pool of blood collecting around a broken vessel). Whatever the cause, this is one condition that definitely needs a doctor's attention. |
