The presence of blood in the urine is defined by the term hematuria. Studies have found that up to 21% of the population is affected. This can be a benign problem but it can also be a sign of another condition, such as a kidney stone or tumor. There are two types of hematuria: gross, when blood is visible during urination, and microhematuria, when blood is only visible under a microscope. In mild cases, no specific treatment is required for the cure. While the doctor will be more focused on treating the condition causing the disease. To learn how to detect blood in urine, read on.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Check Urine at Home
Step 1. Look at the color of your urine
Color is the best sign of hematuria. If the urine is red, pink, or brown in color, you should see a doctor immediately. These are unnatural colors that allow you to understand that something is wrong.
The urine must be clear or very light yellow. The more yellow it is, the more it shows that you are dehydrated. Increase your water intake to restore the color to a “healthy” hue
Step 2. Buy a trial kit at the pharmacy
If you suspect that you have blood in your urine, you can buy a test at the pharmacy. However, remember that these tests are not 100% accurate. Here's how to do it:
- Collect fresh urine in a clean, dry container, preferably glass. It is best to take the test in the morning, as urine has a high concentration of markers.
- Remove one of the reagent strips provided in the package, and reseal the latter.
- Dip the reagent into the urine sample and remove it immediately.
- Eliminate excess urine by placing the strip on the edge of the container. The strip must be held horizontally to avoid cross contamination.
- Compare the reagent color with the color chart included in the kit.
Step 3. In any case, you cannot avoid going to the doctor
There are no exact methods to check for hematuria at home. You should always seek professional help if you want to have a correct diagnosis. Urine tests found in pharmacies are not as accurate as laboratory tests.
Analyzing urine is a routine, non-invasive procedure that takes a few minutes in the doctor's office. If you are having urinary problems, do not postpone the visit
Part 2 of 3: Getting a Diagnosis
Step 1. Examine a urine sample
The first and most important step in diagnosing hematuria is to perform a urine sample test, simply called a urine test. If blood cells are present, the cause could be a urinary tract infection. If large amounts of protein are present, it could be kidney disease. With a second analysis, the doctor can also detect the presence of cancerous cells. Here's how it works:
- A special container is used to collect your urine sample, which will be sent to a testing laboratory.
- The laboratory technician or a nurse inserts a rod (a chemically treated strip of paper) into the urine. If there are red blood cells, the rod changes color.
- The strip has 11 distinct areas that change color based on the chemicals in the urine. If red blood cells are present, the doctor will examine the urine under a microscope to diagnose hematuria.
- The next step is to perform further checks to determine the cause.
Step 2. Take a blood test
You can go to a hospital or a diagnostic center to undergo a blood test. The sample will then be sent to a laboratory for analysis. If creatinine (a waste product of muscle breakdown) is present, you may be suffering from kidney disease.
- If creatinine is detected, your doctor will perform a series of other tests to determine the cause and possibly ask you to take a biopsy.
- This abnormal presence is a clear sign that the problem is in the kidneys and not the bladder or any other area of the body.
Step 3. Get a biopsy
If the urine test and / or blood tests detect warning signs, the doctor may have you do a biopsy. In this surgery, a small piece of kidney tissue is removed and examined under a microscope. This is a very common procedure.
- You will be given local anesthesia and the doctor will use computed tomography, or ultrasound, to guide a needle into the kidney.
- Once the tissue is removed, it will be examined by a pathologist in a laboratory. Within a week you will have the results and you can discuss with your doctor what kind of treatment you need, if any.
Step 4. Consider getting a cystoscopy
It is a procedure that involves the use of a tubular instrument to look into the bladder and urethra. It is performed in a hospital, outpatient facility or medical center, under local anesthesia. The doctor performing the operation will look for abnormal growth in the urethra or bladder, which can cause hematuria.
- Cystoscopy is able to see things that an x-ray or ultrasound cannot detect. It can experience prostate problems, kidney stones and tumors, as well as being able to remove obstructions and foreign objects from the urinary tract. This procedure can also avoid surgery.
- If urinating is quite painful, you suffer from incontinence, urinate often or conversely have difficulty, are unable to urinate, or have a sudden and overwhelming urge to urinate, the problem is probably not related to the kidneys; therefore your doctor may recommend a cystoscopy.
Step 5. Ask for kidney imaging
One of these tests is an intravenous pyelogram, or IVP. A contrast fluid (a special dye) is injected into the arm and will travel through the bloodstream to reach the kidneys. An X-ray will be taken and urine will be visible thanks to the contrast medium. The special dye also reveals any blockages that may occur in the urinary tract.
If a tumor is found, further diagnostic tests will be performed, such as computed tomography, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, to obtain more detailed information on the abnormal growth
Part 3 of 3: Understanding Hematuria
Step 1. Know the causes
There can be a lot of reasons that lead to the presence of blood in the urine. Among these are:
- Inflammation of the urinary tract.
- Blood clots.
- Blood clotting disorders, such as haemophilia.
- Presence of a benign or malignant tumor.
- Diseases affecting the kidneys or any part of the urinary tract.
- Too much exercise.
- Trauma.
Step 2. Know that you don't necessarily have symptoms
The only time symptoms appear is when you have gross hematuria. The main symptom in this case is urine of red, pink or brown color. If you have microscopic hematuria, there are no symptoms.
The color of the urine indicates how much blood is present. For example, if the color is pink, it means that the quantity is small. A darker shade of red indicates more blood. Sometimes blood clots can also pass while urinating
Step 3. Keep in mind that secondary symptoms may occur in gross hematuria
Look for these other signs if you think you have this condition:
- Abdominal pain. Pain in the abdominal area can be caused by an infection or inflammation of the urinary tract, due to a kidney stone or a tumor.
- Pain when urinating. When the urinary tract becomes inflamed or clears a kidney stone, urination can be accompanied by pain.
- Fever. It usually occurs when an infection is present.
- Frequent urination. When the urinary tract, especially the bladder, becomes inflamed, the tissues enlarge and the bladder fills much faster, causing frequent urination.
