Why do blood comes in urine

Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine. Your kidneys, located in the rear portion of your upper abdomen, produce urine by filtering waste and fluid from your blood. In hematuria, your kidneys — or other parts of your urinary tract — allow blood cells to leak into urine.

Various problems can cause this leakage, including:. Urinary tract infections. These occur when bacteria enter your body through the urethra and multiply in your bladder. Symptoms can include a persistent urge to urinate, pain and burning with urination, and extremely strong-smelling urine. For some people, especially older adults, the only sign of illness might be microscopic blood in the urine.

A bladder or kidney stone. The minerals in concentrated urine sometimes form crystals on the walls of your kidneys or bladder. Over time, the crystals can become small, hard stones.

The stones are generally painless, so you probably won't know you have them unless they cause a blockage or are being passed. Then there's usually no mistaking the symptoms — kidney stones, especially, can cause excruciating pain. Bladder or kidney stones can also cause both gross and microscopic bleeding. Strenuous exercise. Do not self-diagnose — see a GP if you think it's blood in your pee. Page last reviewed: 24 June Next review due: 24 June Blood in urine.

Stones may tear or scratch the lining of the urinary tract and its associated organs. Blood from these tears can mix with the urine, resulting in either gross or microscopic hematuria. Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the endometrium — the lining of the uterus — grows in areas of the body outside of the uterus. Although it does so less commonly than infections and stones, cancer of the kidney or bladder can also cause hematuria.

The urine may contain blood one day and appear clear the next. A person should not wait for the blood to reappear before contacting a doctor. Bladder cancer can cause a person to urinate more or less frequently. Treating blood in the urine requires an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause. They are likely to ask females when their last menstrual period occurred. The presence of menstrual blood in the urine can result in a false positive hematuria diagnosis. During a pelvic exam, a doctor will assess the condition of the female reproductive organs, including the:.

Depending on the reason for the evaluation, the doctor may examine the bladder and rectum as well. A urinalysis tests for protein, blood cells, and waste products in the urine.

It can identify a range of medical conditions that affect the urinary tract, such as kidney disease and UTIs. Imaging tests can detect stones, endometriosis growths, and cysts in the urinary tract and pelvis.

People should not wait to see a doctor if they notice blood in their urine. They should speak with a doctor even if the blood clears on its own. Females should speak with their doctor if they see blood in their urine outside of their regular menstrual period, especially if it occurs alongside the following symptoms:.

It could be a warning sign for a potentially life-threatening illness. Fortunately, the majority of the time, blood in the urine is not a sign of a serious illness. If your doctor thinks you may have hematuria, you will have a repeat urine test to make sure the first test was right.

Your doctor will ask you about your health history, including infections, kidney stones, smoking, menstruation and recent injuries. He or she will also ask about medications you are taking. Your doctor will perform a physical exam to check for pain or tenderness in the bladder or kidney area. Men may be given a digital rectal exam to look for prostate problems. Women may have a pelvic exam to look for the source of red blood cells in the urine. This is a procedure a urologist performs to see inside the bladder and urethra the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body.

The doctor uses a thin tube with a camera and light on the end--called a cystoscope--to look for cancer cells or other problems. Kidney imaging tests. The doctor may order an imaging test such as ultrasound, CT scan or MRI to look for a tumor, a kidney or bladder stone, an enlarged prostate or other problem.