Hematuria is a common problem, but knowing that doesn’t lessen the shock of seeing blood in your urine. When you notice pink, red, or smoky-colored urine, it’s time to schedule an appointment with the doctors at Urological Associates. They’re experts at getting to the cause of your hematuria and developing customized treatment that’s optimal for your health. Call the office in Charlottesville, Virginia, or book an appointment online.
When you see blood in your urine, which is called gross hematuria, your urine may appear pink, red, or light brown like tea. You can also have microscopic hematuria, which is when the blood in your urine is only visible under a microscope.
In many cases, blood in your urine isn’t cause for alarm. Heavy exercise may lead to hematuria, and sometimes it may be the sign of a common urinary tract infection.
Potentially serious causes of hematuria include:
Several types of medications can also cause hematuria, such as drugs used to fight joint inflammation and blood-thinning medications.
After the doctors at Urological Associates diagnose gross or microscopic hematuria, their job is to determine the underlying cause. Your doctor thoroughly evaluates your medical history and your symptoms, performs a physical exam, and orders additional tests as needed.
You may undergo diagnostic tests such as:
In some patients, the reason for hematuria can’t be determined.
Hematuria alone is seldom a sign of cancer. However, visible blood in your urine combined with a history of smoking strongly increases the chance that hematuria is due to bladder or kidney cancer. You can be sure that your doctor at Urological Associates will perform all the tests necessary to rule out or confirm the presence of cancer.
When the underlying cause of your hematuria can’t be determined, you’ll come in for another urine test in a year or other time frame as determined by your urologist. Annual tests are repeated until you no longer have hematuria or a reason is found.
Your treatment plan is customized to take care of the cause of your hematuria. The potential treatments are just as varied as the many causes.
When you see blood in your urine, call Urological Associates or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment.
