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Home · Conditions · Blood in the Urine (Hematuria)
Urinary symptoms
Blood in the urine, whether you can see it or it only shows up on a lab test, is a signal that always deserves an explanation. Most causes are benign, but it is also the most common first sign of bladder and kidney cancer, so it should never be dismissed.
Gross hematuria is blood you can see: pink, red or tea-colored urine, sometimes with clots. Microscopic hematuria is invisible and is found on a urine test done for another reason. Both need evaluation, and visible blood needs it promptly, even if it happened once and stopped.
Urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder stones, an enlarged prostate, recent vigorous exercise, and some medications can all cause blood in the urine. More serious causes include cancers of the bladder, kidney or upper urinary tract. The risk is higher in smokers and former smokers, in people over 40, with certain chemical exposures at work, and in those with repeated visible bleeding. Blood thinners can make bleeding more noticeable, but they rarely explain it on their own, so they are not a reason to skip the work-up.
A urinalysis confirms true blood cells rather than pigments from food or medication, and a culture looks for infection. A repeat test after an infection is treated makes sure the blood has cleared.
Ultrasound or a CT scan of the kidneys and ureters looks for stones, masses and blockage. Which study we choose depends on your risk profile.
A thin flexible camera lets us look directly at the lining of the bladder and urethra. It is done in our office, takes a few minutes, and is the only reliable way to rule out a bladder tumor.
Most evaluations end with a benign explanation, and many with reassurance alone. When we do find a tumor, early detection is exactly why the work-up matters: most bladder cancers found this way are superficial and very treatable. We explain the findings plainly and lay out the least invasive effective next step.
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Yes. Bleeding from a bladder or kidney tumor often comes and goes. A single episode of visible blood deserves a full evaluation.
With a flexible scope and numbing gel, most people describe brief pressure and a stinging sensation. It takes a few minutes in the office and you go home right after.
Blood thinners can make bleeding more obvious, but guidelines and experience both say they rarely cause it on their own. The evaluation is the same.
Yes. Beets, some berries and certain medications can turn urine red. A urinalysis tells real blood apart from pigment.
Visible blood should be evaluated promptly. If you cannot urinate, have large clots, fever or severe pain, seek urgent care.
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