Dr. Sunil Kathuria

The presence of red blood cells in the urine is called hematuria. If there are sufficient red cells, the urine turns to a bright red, pink or cola shade. Frequently, the urine looks totally ordinary because there is insufficient blood to change the colour. In this situation, the condition is called 'microscopic' hematuria.

The most common causes of hematuria are given below:

1. Urinary tract infection (UTI)
2. Kidney stones
3. Tumours in the kidney or bladder
4. Exercise: In this case, the blood is produced in the urine after strenuous activity. It is more commonly experienced by male patients.
5. Injury: Traumatic damage to any part of the urinary tract, from the kidneys to the urethral opening, can cause hematuria.

The symptoms of hematuria vary depending upon the condition. These are as follows:

1. Glomerulonephritis: If the glomerulonephritis is not serious, it may not show any signs. If the symptoms do show up, they can cause swelling, particularly in the lower furthest points(the thighs, legs, feet, and toes), decreased urine, and hypertension.
2. Kidney or bladder infection: Symptoms rely on the site of the diseaseand can even cause extreme pain on one side of the lower back, fever, chills, nausea with vomiting, and pain in the bladder.
3. Prostate infection: There can be pain in the lower back or in the region between the scrotum and rearend. Pain with discharge, blood in the semen, andfever and chills can also occuronce in a while.
4. Tumour in the kidney or bladder: Most kidney and bladder problems develop without bringing about any pain or uneasiness. At the point when side effects build up, abdomen pain may be persistent.
5. Kidney stones: When a kidney stone gets attached to the ureters, it can bring about extreme pain in the back, side or crotch, with nausea and difficulties in urination.

Based upon the suspected cause of hematuria, some of the treatments may include the following:

1. Urine culture: In this test, a urine sample is extracted and examined to check whether bacteria has developed. This test is used to find a case of a kidney or bladder disease.
2. Computed tomography (CT) of the kidneys, ureters and bladder: For most cases,a CT scan is conducted. This helps in viewing the internal organs and finding the areas that may have been affected by the condition. It also shows the extent of the damage and the spread of the disease so that a proper treatment plan may be laid out.
3. Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to create images that can show whether or not a kidney mass is a non cancerous. This method can also be used to find out whether or not there are any kidney stones, which may be causing hematuria.
4. Cystoscopy: In this test, the specialist embeds an adaptable telescope into the urethra and passes it into the bladder to investigate the bladder lining for tumours or different issues.

Urology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diseases affecting the urinary tract system and male reproductive organs. The organs that come under the scanner here are the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the male reproductive organs (testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis). Though there is a prevalent misconception that gynecologists are for women what urologists are for men, urology also deals with certain women related health issues. These include overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, and urinary incontinence. In fact, doctors who specialize in female urology gain detailed knowledge of the female pelvic floor together with intimate understanding of the physiology and pathology.

Here are 9 things you should know as a woman

1. Age related factors affect both men and women: Right around the time when menopause and andropause strike, changing hormone levels affect the pelvic floor, bladder, urethra and vagina in women causing problems like urinary tract infection and incontinence. These conditions are effectively treated by an urologist who can also probe for underlying conditions like kidney stone, polyp, or tumor in severe cases.

2. An overactive bladder is more common than you think: Around 40% women have to hit the bathroom every hour or so owing to this. Simple lifestyle changes like lowering the intake of caffeine and alcohol, in combination with pelvic floor exercises can solve the problem.

3. Women sometimes pee in their pants too: A majority of the female population between 40 and 60 suffer from either stress incontinence (when you cough, sneeze or laugh) or urgency incontinence (leaking when you want to go badly). Urologists want you to know that there are less invasive options and medications available to treat this problem.

4. Walk the exercise path to good health: Exercises for your vagina like kegal are great when done right. You can connect with a practitioner who specializes in toning and the stimulation of pelvic floor muscles to treat incontinence.

5. Pelvic pain: If it is not gynecology then it is urology. A general pain in the pelvic region triggers a visit to the gynecologist first for most women.From menstrual cramps to ovarian cysts, all of this may well be taken care of by your gynecologist too. But when the usual culprits are not the cause for your discomfort, it's time you get the urology aspect examined thoroughly too.

6. Know the difference between UTI and STI: Because of cross symptoms, one often gets mistaken for the other. So check with your urologist to understand the cause and cure of your particular problem.

7. Recognize pelvic organ prolapse: This condition is defined by a bit of bladder, rectal, or uterine tissue bulging into your vagina. An urologist can provide non invasive options to deal with this.

8. Women can get kidney stones too: This is true, especially when you forget to hydrate yourself in hot climates or high temperature situations.

9. Urology can solve some sexual problems too: Whether it's sexual dysfunction, low libido or trouble reaching orgasm, urology can play its part to help you out. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Urologist.