Anyone who discovers blood in their own urine gets a shock at first. But serious illnesses are not always behind it. But when do I have to worry and when not? We explain the causes behind blood in the urine.
Normal, healthy urine is clear, odorless, and yellow in color. How light or dark the urine is depends largely on the amount you drink – the more you drink, the lighter the urine. When there is blood in the urine, also known as hematuria, it can have a variety of causes. A distinction is made between visible and invisible blood in the urine, also known as macro and micro hematuria.
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Blood in the urine: These are the causes
If the urine is dark in color, this does not always have to be a cause for concern – harmless causes can also be behind it. For example, some foods like beets can discolor it. Taking certain medications can also be a trigger.
If the discoloration is blood in the urine, this can have various causes. The color of the urine can have different shades of red – from pink to flesh-colored to deep red. In most cases, the origin of the blood is in the urinary tract and kidneys. For example, kidney infections such as a kidney infection, kidney cysts , urinary tract infections such as a bladder infection , urinary stones , kidney infarctions , renal vein thrombosis or other infections can lead to blood in the urine. Also injuries caused by accidentsin the urinary tract, bladder or kidneys can cause bleeding. In rarer cases, the blood in the urine can also be a sign of a tumor – for example bladder, urethral or kidney cancer.
But other diseases can also be the trigger. These include, for example, prostate diseases such as prostate inflammation in men and endometriosis in women .
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When to see a doctor if you have blood in your urine?
Anyone who discovers blood in their urine should always consult a doctor, as the symptom can indicate serious medical conditions such as bladder cancer. You should not hesitate to see a doctor, especially if the changes persist and if other symptoms such as burning when urinating, pain in the lower abdomen or a frequent urge to urinate occur. A rapid urine test can give the doctor initial information – depending on the result, he can carry out further blood or urine analyses.
