Blood in the urine (Haematuria)
Introduction
Finding blood in your urine can be very frightening and must be investigated by a doctor, but it'snot usuallya sign of anything life-threatening.
If you notice bright red blood in your urine, or if your urine has turned red or brown because it has blood in it,see your GP.
Sometimes, urine may contain only a small amount of blood invisible to the naked eye andisonly apparent when a urine test is carried out for something else.This stillneeds to be investigated by your doctor, as healthy urine should not contain anydetectable amounts ofblood.
The medical name for blood in the urine is haematuria. If blood in the urine is obvious with the naked eye, it is called "macroscopic", or "visible haematuria". If the blood can only be detected with laboratory testing, it is called "microscopic", or "non-visible".
The blood will have come from somewhere within the urinary tract the kidneys, bladder orthe tubes that urine passes through. It is often the result of a urinary tract infection (UTI) , such as cystitis .
This page outlines the most common reasons for blood in the urine, to give you an idea of what may be causing theproblem. However, this guide should not be used to self-diagnose your condition,and it's importantto see your GP for a proper diagnosis.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 4 Jan 2017
Introduction
Finding blood in your urine can be very frightening and must be investigated by a doctor, but it's not usually a sign of anything life-threatening.
Is there definitely blood inyour urine?
Before you read on, it's worth considering whether you have recently eaten beetroot, as this can colour the urine pink and cause unnecessary alarm. Some medicines, such as the antibiotics nitrofuranto
Common causes of blood in urine
These include: a bladder infection (such as cystitis) which typically also causes a burning pain when you urinate a kidney infection which may also cause a high temperature and pain in the side o
Seeing your GP
Your GP will ask about your symptoms and carry out a physical examination to help determine the cause of the blood in your urine. For men, this may include a rectal examination and women may have a v
Referral to a specialist
Your GP should refer you urgently to a specialistif any of the following apply: you have visible blood in your urine and no pain, and tests show there is no infection you are 40 or over and keep ge
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