Pronounced: he-MAH-chur-e-ah
Hematuria means blood in the urine. Normally, urine does not contain any blood.
There are two kinds of hematuria:
In some cases, the cause of hematuria is never found. The list of known causes is lengthy, some more common causes include:
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition.
Hematuria itself does not cause symptoms. However, it is often a sign of an underlying condition, which may cause symptoms. For example, kidney stones cause severe pain in the flank, abdomen, or groin and can result in hematuria.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. You may be referred to a doctor who specializes in kidney disease (nephrologist) or the urinary system (urologist).
Tests may include:
Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of hematuria. Some causes of hematuria are benign and require no treatment (exercise-induced) or will resolve on their own (passage of a kidney stone). Other causes will respond to medication. For example, successfully treating a urinary tract infection with antibiotics will stop the hematuria. Still other causes may require surgery, such as the removal of a bladder or treatment for prostate cancer .
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org
National Kidney Foundation
http://www.kidney.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
BC Health Guide
http://www.bchealthguide.org
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
http://www.kidney.ca
References:
A to Z health guide: hematuria in children. National Kidney Foundation website. Available at: http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozPrint.cfm?id=154 . Accessed August 10, 2005.
Blood in urine. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00321 . Accessed August 12, 2005.
Dambro MR. Griffith’s 5-minute Clinical Consult . 13th ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2005.
Hematuria. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamicmedical.com/dynamed.nsf?opendatabase . Accessed August 13, 2005.
Microscopic hematuria. American Family Physician website. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/afp/990915ap/990915b.html . Accessed August 10, 2005.
Last reviewed November 2008 by Adrienne Carmack, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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