Urine - bloody
Hematuria; Blood in the urineBlood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the blood is visible. It often turns the toilet water red or pink. Or, you may see spots of blood in the water after urinating.
Causes
There are many possible causes of blood in the urine.
Bloody urine may be due to a problem in your kidneys or other parts of the urinary tract, such as:
- Cancer of the bladder or kidney
- Infection of the bladder, kidney, prostate, or urethra
Infection of the bladder
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleUrethra
Urethritis is inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the body.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Inflammation of the bladder, urethra, prostate, or kidney (glomerulonephritis)
Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis is a type of kidney disease in which the part of your kidneys that helps filter waste and fluids from the blood is damaged....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Injury to the bladder or kidney
- Kidney or bladder stones
Kidney
A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBladder stones
Bladder stones are hard buildups of minerals. These form in the urinary bladder.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Kidney disease after strep throat (post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis), a common cause of blood in the urine in children
Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (GN) is a kidney disorder that occurs after infection with certain strains of streptococcus bacteria.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Kidney failure
- Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a kidney disorder passed down through families. In this disease, many cysts form in the kidneys, causing them to ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Recent urinary tract procedure such as catheterization, circumcision, surgery, or kidney biopsy
Kidney biopsy
A kidney biopsy is the removal of a small piece of kidney tissue for examination.
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If there is no structural or anatomical problem with your kidneys, urinary tract, prostate, or genitals, your health care provider may check to see if you have a bleeding disorder. Causes may include:
- Bleeding disorders (such as hemophilia)
Bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders are a group of conditions in which there is a problem with the body's blood clotting process. These disorders can lead to heavy a...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHemophilia
Hemophilia refers to a group of bleeding disorders in which blood clotting takes a longer time than normal. There are two forms of hemophilia:Hemophi...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blood clot in the kidneys
Blood clot in the kidneys
Renal vein thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in the vein that drains blood from the kidney.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blood thinning medicines (such as aspirin or warfarin)
- Sickle cell disease
Sickle cell disease
Sickle cell disease is a disorder passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disk take on a sickle or crescen...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Thrombocytopenia (low numbers of platelets)
Low numbers of platelets
Thrombocytopenia means there is an abnormally low amount of platelets. Platelets are parts of the blood that help blood to clot. This condition is ...
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Blood that looks like it is in the urine may actually be coming from other sources, such as:
- The vagina (in women)
- Ejaculation, often due to a prostate problem (in men)
- A bowel movement
The urine can also turn a red color from certain medicines, beets, or other foods.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
You may not see blood in your urine because it is a small amount and is microscopic. Your provider may find it while checking your urine during a routine exam.
Never ignore blood you see in the urine. Get checked by your provider, especially if you also have:
- Discomfort with urination
- Frequent urination
- Unexplained weight loss
Weight loss
Unexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...
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Contact your provider right away if:
- You have fever, nausea, vomiting, shaking chills, or pain in your abdomen, side, or back
Fever
Fever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleNausea
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleChills
Chills refers to feeling cold after being in a cold environment. The word can also refer to an episode of shivering along with paleness and feeling ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - You are unable to urinate
- You are passing blood clots in your urine
Also contact your provider if:
- You have pain with sexual intercourse or heavy menstrual bleeding. This may be due to a problem related to your reproductive system.
- You have urine dribbling, nighttime urination, or difficulty starting your urine flow. This may be from a prostate problem.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions such as:
- When did you first notice blood in your urine? Has the amount of your urine increased or decreased?
- What is the color of your urine? Does your urine have an odor?
- Do you have any pain with urination or other symptoms of infection?
- Are you urinating more often, or is the need to urinate more urgent?
- What medicines are you taking?
- Have you had urinary or kidney problems in the past, or recently had surgery or an injury?
- Have you recently eaten foods that may cause a change in color, like beets, berries, or rhubarb?
Tests that may be done include:
- Abdominal ultrasound
Abdominal ultrasound
Abdominal ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is used to look at organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and...
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- Blood creatinine level
Creatinine
The creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. This test is done to see how well your kidneys are working. Creatinine in t...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Complete blood count (CBC) with platelet count
Complete blood count
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - CT scan of the abdomen
CT scan of the abdomen
An abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cystoscopy
Cystoscopy
Cystoscopy is a surgical procedure. This is done to see the inside of the bladder and urethra using a thin, lighted tube.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Kidney biopsy
Kidney biopsy
A kidney biopsy is the removal of a small piece of kidney tissue for examination.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Strep test
Strep test
A streptococcal screen is a test to detect group A streptococcus. This type of bacteria is the most common cause of strep throat.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tests for sickle cell, bleeding problems, and other blood disorders
Sickle cell
The sickle cell test looks for the abnormal hemoglobin in the blood that causes the disorder sickle cell disease.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Urinalysis
Urinalysis
Urinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Urinary cytology
- Urine culture
Urine culture
A urine culture is a lab test to check for bacteria or other germs in a urine sample. It can be used to check for a urinary tract infection in adults...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - 24-hour urine collection for creatinine, protein, calcium
- Blood tests such as PT, PTT or INR tests
PT
Prothrombin time (PT) is a blood test that measures the time it takes for the liquid portion (plasma) of your blood to clot. It measures the functio...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePTT
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is a blood test that looks at how long it takes for blood to clot. It can help tell if you have a bleeding problem...
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The treatment will depend on the cause of blood in the urine.
References
Boorjian SA, Raman JD, Barocas DA. Evaluation and management of hematuria. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16.
Brown DD, Reidy KJ. Approach to the child with hematuria. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2019;66(1):15-30. PMID: 30454740 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30454740/.
Elsamra SE. Evaluation of the urologic patient: history and physical examination. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 1.
Gharavi AG, Landry DW. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 100.
Female urinary tract - illustration
The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Female urinary tract
illustration
Male urinary tract - illustration
The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Male urinary tract
illustration
Nephrolithiasis - illustration
Kidney stones result when urine becomes too concentrated and substances in the urine crystalize to form stones. Symptoms arise when the stones begin to move down the ureter causing intense pain. Kidney stones may form in the pelvis or calyces of the kidney or in the ureter.
Nephrolithiasis
illustration
Female urinary tract - illustration
The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Female urinary tract
illustration
Male urinary tract - illustration
The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.
Male urinary tract
illustration
Nephrolithiasis - illustration
Kidney stones result when urine becomes too concentrated and substances in the urine crystalize to form stones. Symptoms arise when the stones begin to move down the ureter causing intense pain. Kidney stones may form in the pelvis or calyces of the kidney or in the ureter.
Nephrolithiasis
illustration
Review Date: 7/1/2023
Reviewed By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.