The kidneys are the main excretory organs and remove all toxins and wastes from the body in a liquid medium, the urine. The urine is normally straw coloured as there are filters which do not allow blood to enter the kidneys. However, due to various reasons, when there is a disease in the urinary tract, red blood cells can escape into the urine. The urine then assumes a pinkish tinge; the exact colour would depend on the amount of blood leaked. While the thought of pinkish urine is scary, it becomes a bigger concern when seen in children. Read on to know a little more about the types, causes, and ways to manage this condition. 

Types: 

Microscopic: When there is blood visible only through a microscope. This is quite common in children, and unless there is no accompanying kidney disease, it does not pose a problem when found occasionally. 
Gross: It is when the color of the urine changes to a pinkish tinge. This is of concern and requires immediate attention. 
Causes: 

There are various reasons and some of them are listed below 

Inherited causes: Conditions like sickle cell disease, polycystic kidney disease, Kidney stones and inherited nephritis. 
Structural causes: Cysts in the kidneys can cause hematuria 
Trauma: An injury (to the abdominal area) during sports should be ruled out, which could have damaged the problem 
Infections: Infections along the entire urinary tract right from glomerulonephritis to kidneys to bladder can cause blood in the urine 5.   Imbalances in minerals: High levels of serum calcium, which puts them at a higher risk of developing kidney stones later. Dietary calcium should be reduced. These children also could have a history of stones in the family. 
Idiopathic: When the cause of the hematuria is not known, it is termed idiopathic. 
Associated issues/Diagnosis: 

Hematuria is an indication or a symptom of an underlying medical condition (be it infection or trauma) and the underlying cause always needs complete evaluation. Accompanying symptoms can help narrow down the diagnosis. If any inherited cause is suspected, presence of hematuria should always be assessed in parents and grandparents. 

Check for history of trauma 
Known prior kidney disease 
Symptoms of infection 

Family medical history 
Urine tests to analyse its composition 
Urine culture, MRI, CT scanning, or biopsy may be required in more serious cases. 
When to worry? 

Associated proteinuria 
Microscopic hematuria which is persistent 
Kids with high blood pressure 
Kids with other existing kidney diseases 
Management: 

In most cases, no specific treatment for hematuria is required as the condition subsides after the underlying problem is addressed. For instance, once the infection clears, the hematuria also clears. Follow-up urine tests may be required to confirm that it is cleared. Blood in urine must always be evaluated by pediatric nephrologist as its causes range from very mild disease to rapidly evolving kidney failure, which may occur over days to weeks.

Blood In Urine In Kids - Know The Reasons Behind It!

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) happens when germs infect your urinary system. It includes the kidneys, bladder, and the connecting tubes. Bladder infections are normal and not a huge risk if treated immediately. Further, if the disease spreads to the kidneys, it can bring about very serious problems. In case you're a woman, your chance of getting a urinary tract disease is higher. Experts rank your lifetime danger of getting a UTI as one in every woman. Many women might even have repeated infections.

UTIs are a key reason why we are frequently advised to wipe ourselves from front to back while or after using the bathroom. That is because of the urethra - the tube that carries the urine outside the body. It is found near the anus. If the infection isn't dealt with, the kidneys are likely to be affected.

Symptoms: To recognize a UTI, watch out for the following side effects:

1. Burning sensation while urinating
2. A regular urge to urinate, despite the fact that little turns out when you do
3. Pressure in your belly
4. Pain in the lower abdomen
5. Dark, bleeding or odd smelling urine
6. Feeling drained or shaky
7. Fever or chills (a sign the disease may have come to your kidneys)

Home Remedies: Some of the home remedies for UTI are:

1. Drink lots of water

One of the main things to do when you have a urinary tract infection is drink a lot of water.

2. Load Up on Vitamin C for a Healthy Urinary Tract

Getting a lot of vitamin C is important, since a lot of vitamin C make your urine more acidic. This prevents bacteria from developing.

3. Cure UTI Pain with Heat

Applying a warming cushion can calm the region.

4. Cut Bladder Irritants from Your Diet

Avoid caffeine, liquor, nicotine, carbonated beverages, and fake sweeteners.

5. Empty Your Bladder Again

Each time you exhaust your bladder - regardless of the possibility that it's only a little, you get rid of bacteria every time. So continue making those washroom runs.

6. Consider Herbal Remedies

You may discover some relief from taking the herb uva ursi (bearberry leaf)

7. Switch to Healthier Habits

Change in lifestyle can make a lot of difference. For instance, quit smoking and wear cotton clothing.

Other Treatment: In case, you have 3 or more UTI bouts in a year, request your specialist for a special treatment plan. Some treatment choices include:

You can take an anti-toxin in low dosage, over a more extended period to avoid repeated infections.

You can also take a single dosage of anti-biotic after sex, as prescribed by your specialist.
A patient can also take anti-toxins for 1 or 2 days as the symptoms show up. The treatments should be only be taken after concerning the specialists. You can also use an at-home urine test kit when you see the symptoms appearing.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Prevention and Cure

A kidney stone may not be as big as the stones in your garden, but can be quite a pain. Kidney stones are actually mineral crystals that are usually a combination of calcium and phosphates. The size of a kidney stone ranges from the size of a sugar crystal to a ping pong ball. While some kidney stones pass out of the body along with urine, others can block the urethra and become painful. 

In addition to being painful, a kidney stone can cause permanent damage to your kidneys. Since large kidney stones are usually painful, they rarely go undiagnosed. However, if a kidney stone is left untreated, it could cause the kidney to atrophy and lower the functionality of the kidney. Kidney stones that are related to an infection can also lead to chronic urinary tract infections and damage the kidney through scarring and inflammation. This could eventually lead to kidney failure.
 
Not all kidney stones need to be treated with surgery. If the kidney stone is very small, your doctor may prescribe plenty of water and medication to treat the pain. With plenty of water, you should be able to pass the stone in your urine. Ideally, you should take plenty of rest until the stone is passed. 

Larger kidney stones may need you to be hospitalized for treatment. These are:
- extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (eswl)
To begin this of treatment, a painkiller is administered. Ultrasonic waves are used to determine the location of the kidney stone. Shock waves are then passed through the kidney stone to break it into smaller pieces, which can then pass out of the body through urine.
- ureteroscopy
This is also called retrograde intrarenal surgery and is performed when the kidney stone is stuck in the ureter. A ureteroscope is passed through the urethra and bladder into the ureter. Laser energy may then be used to break the stone into smaller pieces to unblock the ureter. 
- percutaneous nephrolithotomy (pcnl)
This surgery is performed under general anesthesia. It involves a small incision being made in the back and a nephroscope passed into the kidney through it. Laser or pneumatic energy is then used to break up the stone into smaller pieces and pull them out. 

- open surgery
Open surgery is performed only in the case of an abnormally large stone or abnormal anatomy of the person. An incision is made in the back that allows the doctor to access the kidney and manually remove the stone.

Kidney Stones- Should It Be Removed

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that patients of kidney disease go through in order to replace a non functioning kidney with a live one that is healthy and functions well. Other methods to treat this disease also include dialysis, which basically is an artificial way of doing what our kidneys are designed to do. When dialysis does not work, many doctors recommend a kidney transplant. A replacement or donated kidney can come from a living donor or a non-living donor. This new kidney will mostly work towards keeping the blood clean, which is a function that stops when the old and diseased kidneys fail.
 
So, here's a list of five essential facts that you need to keep in mind if you are looking at a kidney transplant:

1. Donors: While there are living and non-living donors, the doctor will have to ensure that your donor is someone who has no medical history of complications, kidney disease or any other medical condition like diabetes or hypertension. Also, the donor would have to have two proper functioning kidneys. Further, one of the most important factors is the blood group. The blood group of the donor and the patient must match for the transplant to be possible.

2. Procedure: During the surgery, the patient will be under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision in the lower abdomen area and the blood vessels of the new kidney will be connected surgically with the vein and iliac artery of the patient. Thereafter, any excess fluid will be drained before wrapping up the surgery.

3. Rejection: The patient's body may also reject the kidney. The immune system of the patient may mistake the new kidney as an attacking body and its natural defenses may work against it, which will lead to complications. For this, doctors usually prescribe immunosuppressant medicines that will help in preventing such an eventuality. 

4. Longevity: While a living donor's kidney may last longer, a non-living donor's kidney will not enjoy such a long life. In such cases, a second transplant can be conducted.

5. Diet: After the transplant, the patient will be required to go through a number of measures like coughing to show that the lungs are clear, as well as administration of fluids and some amount of examination and dialysis. Also, the patient will have to have a special diet that includes raw fruits and vegetables, and plenty of non-fat dairy ingredients.

A kidney transplant is a major operation that can change your lifestyle in the long run. 

5 Things You Should Know About Kidney Transplant

Urinary tract infection is a type of infection that occurs in the urinary tract of the body. This disorder tends to occur more in women than men as the length of the urethra is shorter in women, thus increasing chances of this infection. The most common cause of urinary tract infections is the E. coli bacteria, especially in the lower part of the urinary tract consisting of the urethra and the bladder.

Homeopathy adopts a holistic approach to urinary tract infections, the remedies aim to treat the underlying causes of the infection. The treatments are free from any side effect and have a beneficial impact on your overall wellbeing. Before prescribing a remedy, the practitioner diagnoses by asking about your medical history, work habits and your mental health. Based on a thorough diagnosis, remedies will be prescribed.
Some of these homeopathic remedies to treat UTIs include: 

1. Apis: Apis is recommended if you have symptoms such as experiencing a burning feeling after urination and less urine. You may have swelling around the eyes and also may not experience much thirst. The condition tends to worsen in hot weather conditions.

2. Cantharis: Cantharis is recommended if you experience constant urges to urinate; however, the amount of urine may be very low. Apart from this, you might also experience intense pain while urinating along with traces of blood in the urine. Back pain is another complication that occurs along with the above mentioned symptoms.

3. Sarsaparilla: This remedy is recommended when you experience pain in the lower abdomen and the back. Your urine may also contain blood and sediments.

4. Benzoic acid: In case your urine has a strong odor, benzoic acid may be the recommended remedy. It is also used to treat pain in the urethra which flares up when you are not urinating.

5. Staphysagria: This remedy is used when UTIs develop as a result of any sexual activity. You may experience a constant urge to urinate and feel pressure in the bladder. Prostatic enlargements which cause infections in the urinary tract can also be treated using this remedy.

Homoeopathic Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection

The kidneys make urine, which is a fluid through which wastes from the body including urea are eliminated from the body. There are two kidneys on the right and left side, which make urine, and pass it down to the bladder through tubes known as ureter. The bladder acts as a reservoir of the urine that is formed in the kidneys. It is stored temporarily there before being excreted out of the body through the urethra. The urinary bladder is a highly muscular organ and has a rich connective tissue. 

Interstitial cystitis (IC) or painful bladder syndrome (PBS) is a very common condition, which affects females more than males. While the exact etiology is not known, it could be age-related and also lifestyle related. People who are used to controlling the urge to pass urine are highly likely to develop this condition. The simple logic is that there is additional pressure on the bladder from the urine that is contained for longer period of time. As such, the muscular wall stretches and begins to feel stressed.

When this habit continues over a period of time, the bladder wall may become irritated or inflamed or even scarred in severe cases. There is no role of bacteria in this condition, and antibiotics are of no help in managing this condition (though the name cystitis usually indicates infection).

The following symptoms are seen as a result of this constant irritation and inflammation.

One may suffer from pain and pressure in the bladder as it continues to collect more and more urine.
This pressure in the bladder also puts pressure on the surrounding tissues in the abdomen including the pelvis, urethra, abdominal organs, uterus, etc.
Women may experience pain in the vaginal tract including vulva and behind the vagina.
Men may experience pain in the area of the scrotum, testicles, prostate, and penis.
There is an increased urge to urinate, which may be as much as 9 to 10 times a day. As the condition progresses, there could be more visits, as many as 40 to 50 visits a day.
This tendency and urge to urinate increases during nighttime.
For women, this urge to urinate and other symptoms including pain are worse during menstruation.
There could be pain during intercourse for both men and women.
There could be pain even otherwise, which can range from a mild dull ache to a piercing pain.
At a structural level, this constant pressure leads to pinpoint bleeding (glomerulations) and sometimes even ulcers in the bladder wall.
There is no definitive treatment for IC or PBS. However, bladder distention and instillation are proven methods of increasing bladder capacity, which therefore helps in relieving symptoms.

Painful Bladder Syndrome - Know The Signs!

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