Blood in woman’s urine

Symptoms of blood in the urine of a woman

If the urine becomes cloudy, acquires a pink tint, or even a bright red color, this indicates that blood has entered it. However, in some cases, medications, vitamins, or foods may be the cause of the discoloration. Sometimes you can notice blood clots, flakes, sediment. Often, patients complain of frequent urge to go to the toilet, including false, painful sensations, spasms, discomfort during intimacy, and general weakness. All this should make a woman see a specialist in order to establish the causes of the disease and start treatment in a timely manner.

Causes of blood in the urine of a woman

There are many conditions in which blood appears in the urine. Let’s dwell on the most common.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs). Inflammatory processes that are provoked by microbial flora (less often viral or fungal) usually do not lead to intense staining of urine with blood, more often there is a so-called microhematuria (determination of blood in the urine only during tests). But there may be a set of other symptoms:

• elevated temperature;
• pain in the lumbosacral back, lower abdomen, in the vagina;
• cutting sensations in the urethra;
• foul-smelling urine;
• nausea, vomiting;
• general malaise.

Acute cystitis. As a rule, blood in the urine appears at the initial stage of this disease. His main symptom is the endless – up to ten times within an hour – the urge to go to the toilet. There is a burning sensation when urinating. Women also complain of chills, irritability, inability to take a comfortable position – the patients literally do not find a place for themselves.

Endometriosis. This is a violation in which the endometrium – the mucous layer of the uterus – grows beyond its limits and affects the organs of the urinary system (mainly the wall of the bladder). In such cases, in addition to getting blood into the urine, other manifestations are observed (mainly in the second phase of the cycle and during menstruation):

• there is pain in the lower abdomen;
• the menstrual cycle is disturbed;
• the volume of urine decreases;
• a woman cannot sit for a long time due to discomfort in the perineum;
• weakness, sleep disturbances, etc. occur.

Without treatment, endometriosis is prone to progression, the development of complications that require elimination, including through hormone therapy or surgery.

Urethritis. This is an inflammation of the epithelium of the urethra, which occurs when fungi, bacteria, viruses enter it. The first signs of the disease appear quickly – within one to three days after contact with the infection. The clinical picture is quite bright:

• pain along the urethra, in the perineum, aggravated during urination, a slight increase in temperature;
• burning, itching, feeling of sand when urinating;
• urethral outlet and skin around it swollen and red.

Urethritis usually occurs along with cystitis.

Urolithiasis disease. There are many reasons why kidney stones form, from malnutrition to heredity. When a large stone or calculus with sharp and uneven edges begins to move from the renal pelvis into them along the ureter, renal colic occurs. This process may be accompanied by the appearance of blood in the urine. At the same time, the temperature rises, the person sweats profusely, an attack of nausea and even vomiting can occur. The main symptom of renal colic is severe paroxysmal pain from the lower back to the lower abdomen, which intensifies and slightly weakens at certain intervals.

Oncology. With neoplasms in the bladder, or kidneys, the urine becomes pale pink to burgundy in color, tumor cells appear in it (in the later stages of cancer). In addition, for cancer, unreasonable weight loss, constant weakness, malaise, and a heterogeneous neoplasm are palpated in the abdomen or small pelvis. But often all these symptoms occur at an advanced stage of the tumor.

Injuries. A fall, a blow from the back or abdomen, an accident can lead to damage to internal organs and the appearance of blood in the urine. A separate option is orthostatic microhematuria. It occurs during active strength training in athletes, but blood can only be determined by examining urine. In this case, you need to reduce the intensity of the loads.

Treatment of blood in the urine of a woman

As you already understood, the appearance of blood in the urine of a woman is an alarming symptom. The exact cause of its appearance can only be determined by a doctor. The tactics of treatment is determined individually for each patient, depending on the diagnosis and condition.

Diagnostics

If a woman complains about the appearance of blood in the urine, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination, including laboratory tests and instrumental procedures.

Analysis of urine. A general analysis allows you to get an idea of ​​the important parameters: color, density, presence of formed elements (erythrocytes, leukocytes), protein content, and other components.

If you need to get more detailed results, the doctor may prescribe additional studies:

• biochemical analysis;
• Nechyporenko test;
• bacteriological culture and others.

Instrumental methods. These include:

Ultrasound. It is carried out to understand whether the walls and tissues of the organs of the urinary tract are changed.

Radiography. It can carry out both survey and contrast to assess the structure of the urinary system.

Cystoscopy. Helps to assess the condition of the tissues of the urethra and bladder. This is a very informative and highly accurate method of examination.

Kidney biopsy. Complicated research. It is prescribed if there is a real suspicion of the presence of a neoplasm.

If the doctor deems it necessary, he may use other diagnostic methods, for example, a consultation with a gynecologist, a therapist, an MRI or scintigraphy.

Modern treatments

In any case, the appearance of blood in the urine of a woman, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms, requires the immediate start of treatment. In some cases, it can be conservative, in others, urgent surgery is required. That is why it is important to establish an accurate diagnosis in the first place:

• if blood in the urine appeared due to bacterial infections, a course of antibiotic therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs, uroseptics is prescribed;
• if an oncological disease is detected, a surgical operation, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, targeted treatment is performed;
• urolithiasis is treated conservatively, surgery is performed or lithotripsy is used – the stones are crushed and then removed from the body.

We hope that all of the above has convinced you that blood in the urine is a serious sign that should not be ignored.

Prevention of blood in the urine of a woman at home

Here are some tips to help you avoid conditions that involve blood in your urine:

• refuse to take any medications without a doctor’s prescription, do not exceed the dosage of medications prescribed by a specialist;
• dress for the weather, try not to overcool;
• avoid injury – at home, at work, in the gym;
• normalize the schedule and quality of food;
• do not lift weights;
• observe personal hygiene;
• give up smoking and alcohol.

If you have a history of urinary tract disease in your family, see your doctor regularly. This will allow timely detection of the disease and cure it at an early stage, without leading to chronic conditions.

Popular questions and answers

We discussed the possible causes and complications associated with the appearance of blood in the urine in women, the reasons for visiting a doctor and the possibilities of self-treatment with urologist Vladimir Stepanov.