Your urine reflects your health, so it can be concerning when something doesn't seem right. If you've ever seen a red tint in your urine, you may be experiencing hematuria, which is blood in your urine.
When you're concerned about how your urine looks, the team at Metro Renal Associates in Washington, DC, and Capitol Heights, Maryland, is here to help. Dr. Oyije Susannah Iheagwara, Dr. Kevin Griffiths, and Dr. Cosette Jamieson are our three board-certified nephrologists who get to the bottom of your urinary concerns quickly and effectively.
If you see blood in your urine, you're likely shocked. Bloody urine isn't an everyday occurrence and should trigger you to be concerned about your health.
Sometimes, blood in your urine, or hematuria, isn't a sign of something serious. Still, more times than not, it signals a problem in your genitourinary system.
There are several reasons you can experience blood in your urine, including the following conditions:
You can have microscopic hematuria that’s invisible to the naked eye or gross hematuria that is clearly visible in the toilet. While you can't see microscopic hematuria without a microscope, it's still an issue with your health.
Blood in your urine can be red or a variety of other colors. You may notice a pink or dark amber tinge, almost like soda. Your urine can also be bright red with clots if you have significant bleeding in your genitourinary system.
The answer to this question is more complicated than it seems. In some cases, hematuria can go away by itself if it was caused by short-term medication or extreme or vigorous exercise.
However, other causes can lead to hematuria sticking around. If you notice that hematuria isn't improving, you must seek medical treatment immediately.
Anytime you see blood in your urine, it’s a good idea to allow our team to evaluate you and your symptoms. Letting hematuria go for an extended time could result in severe complications to your health.
Anytime you notice blood in your urine, you should see our team for an evaluation. While blood in your urine isn't always life-threatening, it's your body's way of telling you something's wrong.
You should never let bloody urine go without treatment. It's a signal from your body that something's wrong, so you should seek treatment.
Our team evaluates your symptoms to narrow down the problem when you come in for an appointment. Typically, urinary tract infections or other infections in your genitourinary system produce other symptoms other than hematuria.
After a thorough examination, we ask for a urine sample to resolve the problem. If the urine sample isn't enough, we order imaging studies like a CT scan or ultrasound to evaluate your body for the root of the problem.
Once our team determines the cause of your hematuria, they offer customized treatments for the underlying problem. Treating the underlying cause of hematuria typically resolves the issue.
Call one of our offices today if you're concerned about blood in your urine. You can also send the team a message using our convenient online tool.
