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What is hematuria?
Hematuria (hee-muh-TOOR-ee-uh) means having blood in your urine. There are two kinds of hematuria:
* Macroscopic hematuria: when you can see the blood in your urine. Your urine may look red or brown. Also called macrohematuria.
* Microscopic hematuria: when you have blood cells in your urine that can only be seen under a microscope. With this kind, your urine will look normal. Also called microhematuria.
What causes hematuria?
Blood in your urine can be caused by many conditions. Often, the cause is harmless. For example, exercise can cause hematuria that will go away in a day or so. Other causes, like urinary tract infections (UTIs) or kidney stones, are only serious if they are left untreated. Still, blood in your urine might be a sign of a more serious problem.
Talk to your doctor to find out what is causing your hematuria. He or she will probably ask for another urine sample. If there is still blood in your urine, you may be asked to give a blood sample so that the doctor can check how well your kidneys are working. These tests can also tell your doctor whether you have an infection.
If your doctor suspects kidney damage or cannot find a cause for the blood in your urine, he or she may suggest an ultrasound or intravenous pyelogram (IVP) to get a picture of your urinary tract. This can show if you have a kidney stone, tumor or blockage.
Sometimes the cause for hematuria is never found.