Does Blood in My Urine Mean I Have Kidney Disease?

It can be extremely alarming if you notice that your urine looks pink, brownish, or red after urinating. Blood in the urine can be a warning sign of kidney disease but not in every case.

If you have blood in your urine, schedule a diagnostic evaluation at the office of Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC. Dr. Middlebrook has extensive experience diagnosing the root cause of abnormal urine and provides personalized treatment plans to prevent kidney dysfunction and damage.

Getting an early diagnosis of blood in the urine can significantly lower your risk for ongoing health complications. Dr. Middlebrook uses the latest diagnostic technologies in-office, so you can get the results you need without long wait times.

Reasons why there may be blood in your urine

Blood in your urine (hematuria) may cause symptoms that are easy to identify (gross hematuria), such as discolored urine in the toilet after using the bathroom. However, you can also have blood in your urine that’s only identifiable during a microscopic evaluation of a urine sample (microscopic hematuria).

The risk factors for having blood in your urine may increase with age, especially if you have a family history of hematuria. There are also several conditions that can cause blood in the urine, including:

• Kidney stones
• Kidney cancer
• Sickle cell disease
• Enlarged prostate
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Kidney or bladder injuries
• Polycystic kidney disease

Women might also experience blood in their urine during their monthly menstrual cycle or soon after sexual intercourse. Both men and women may notice red-colored urine if they take certain medications or eat foods that cause urine to change color.

In the event you notice that there’s a lot of blood during urination or if blood clots are present, be sure to seek emergency medical attention. Blood clots can be a symptom of internal bleeding in the prostate or urethra in men or in the tubes (ureters) that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder.

Treatment options for blood in the urine

Your treatment plan for blood in the urine ultimately depends on what’s causing the bleeding. Dr. Middlebrook designs a care plan to stop the bleeding and address its underlying cause.

For urinary tract infections, you might need prescription antibiotics. There are also medications available to treat an enlarged prostate in men. If bleeding is linked to kidney stones, you may need shock wave lithotripsy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses shock wave energy to break up the stones so that they can leave your body more efficiently.

If you have kidney cancer, Dr. Middlebrook discusses your options for surgery to remove cancerous cells or tumors without disrupting your kidney function.

In cases where kidney cancer is advanced, you might need a nephrectomy to remove the entire kidney and surrounding tissue to prevent cancer from spreading elsewhere. Radiation treatments and immunotherapy may follow surgery to ensure all cancer cells are destroyed.

Call the office of Deon D. Middlebrook MDPC in Detroit, Michigan, today to schedule diagnostic testing for blood in the urine or book an appointment online.