By Dr. Ankur Malpani, Urology

Hematuria is a condition which is characterized by the presence of blood in your urine. Blood in your urine is most often benign, however sometimes the condition can be more serious. When you can see the blood in your urine with the naked eye, it is known as Gross Hematuria. However, when you can only see it under a microscope, it is known as Microscopic Hematuria. Microscopic Hematuria can only be diagnosed after extensive testing by your doctor. Whichever type of hematuria it is, it is crucial to determine the cause of it and then treat that cause…

Causes of Hematuria-

1. Urinary Tract Infections: It is not uncommon when the only sign of a urinary tract infection is a microscopic hematuria. The microscopic hematuria is caused by bacteria entering through the urethra and then multiplying in the bladder.

2. Kidney Infections: Kidney infections are when bacteria go from your ureters to one of your kidneys and multiply in that kidney.

3. Prostate Gland Enlargement: When your prostate gland enlarges, your urethra compresses, thus blocking the urine flow. This leads to microscopic as well as gross hematuria.

4. Cancer: Hematuria can also symptomatic of various cancers including bladder, kidney and prostate cancer.

Treatment-

1. Antibiotics: This form of treatment is administered when the cause of hematuria is a urinary tract infection.

2. Shock Wave Therapy: This is the most common way to clear bladder or kidney stones

3. Other Medications: There are several other medications to help stop hematuria. These include medications which will shrink the prostate gland so that it will not stop the flow of urine.