Blood in the urine
Blood in the urine, called hematuria, should always be checked, even if it happens only once and then goes away.
Visible and microscopic blood
Visible blood turns the urine pink, red or brown. Microscopic blood cannot be seen and is found on a urine test. Both need assessment, although visible blood is usually assessed more urgently.
Possible causes
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney or bladder stones
- An enlarged prostate
- Kidney conditions
- Less often, cancer of the bladder, kidney or ureter
Smoking, older age and past exposure to certain industrial chemicals increase the risk of bladder cancer, which is why assessment matters even when you feel well.
How we assess it
- Urine tests to look for infection and abnormal cells
- Blood tests, including kidney function
- Imaging of the kidneys and urinary tract, usually a CT scan or ultrasound
- A cystoscopy: a thin, flexible camera is passed into the bladder through the urethra to look at its lining. It is usually done in clinic with local anesthetic gel and takes a few minutes.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause. Infections are treated with antibiotics, and stones are treated as described on our kidney stones page. Bladder tumours are usually removed through a telescope (transurethral resection of bladder tumour, or TURBT). Kidney tumours are described on our kidney cancer page.
Go to the emergency department if
- You cannot pass urine because of blood clots
- You have heavy bleeding with dizziness or fainting
- You have fever or chills with blood in your urine
Appointments are by referral
Ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner to send a referral to the office of one of our urologists.