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What Does The Presence Of Blood In Urine Indicate?
Question: I have blood in my urine . I have had kidney stones before & I have not drank much water this week. Do you think it could be kidney stones again?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Blood in the urine can be from kidney stones. It can also be from several other causes too, which is why I am going to recommend that you go in to be seen now. but if you have a history of stones, that is the most likely cause. If it turns out to be stones again, try to catch the stone (request a sieve when you go in to be seen) and have it sent to a lab for analysis. Knowing the make-up of the stone (calcium, uric acid, etc) is helpful for taking measures (dietary or with medication) for preventing the same type from reoccurring.
Other causes of gross hematuria (visible blood in the urine) include an infection anywhere along the urinary tract (including kidneys) or prostate.
Also, inflammation anywhere in the genitourinary tract, and malignancies can cause bleeding too.
So, do go in, give a urine specimen which in an urgent care or dr.'s office can be tested using a dip urine stick to assess for possible infection. If infection looks likely, the urine should be sent to lab for culture and sensitivity. Regardless, the urine should be sent for a complete urinalysis.
(A urinary tract infection can both cause bleeding and can be caused by or secondary to whatever might be causing the bleeding, such as stones.)
A KUB X-ray (kidneys ureters and bladder) can help show if there are calcium based stones present.
If stones are not obvious, the next step is usually an ultrasound.
If you go in to the urgent care, specifically request to see a doctor rather than a PA (physicians assistant) or NP (nurse practitioner).
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Blood in the urine can be from kidney stones. It can also be from several other causes too, which is why I am going to recommend that you go in to be seen now. but if you have a history of stones, that is the most likely cause. If it turns out to be stones again, try to catch the stone (request a sieve when you go in to be seen) and have it sent to a lab for analysis. Knowing the make-up of the stone (calcium, uric acid, etc) is helpful for taking measures (dietary or with medication) for preventing the same type from reoccurring.
Other causes of gross hematuria (visible blood in the urine) include an infection anywhere along the urinary tract (including kidneys) or prostate.
Also, inflammation anywhere in the genitourinary tract, and malignancies can cause bleeding too.
So, do go in, give a urine specimen which in an urgent care or dr.'s office can be tested using a dip urine stick to assess for possible infection. If infection looks likely, the urine should be sent to lab for culture and sensitivity. Regardless, the urine should be sent for a complete urinalysis.
(A urinary tract infection can both cause bleeding and can be caused by or secondary to whatever might be causing the bleeding, such as stones.)
A KUB X-ray (kidneys ureters and bladder) can help show if there are calcium based stones present.
If stones are not obvious, the next step is usually an ultrasound.
If you go in to the urgent care, specifically request to see a doctor rather than a PA (physicians assistant) or NP (nurse practitioner).
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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