Blood in the Urine - Hematuria

. It can be a visually appreciable phenomenon (macroscopic hematuria), or a sneaky event, ascertainable only through the microscopic search for red blood cells in the urinary sediment.

. For this reason, the finding of this clinical sign causes some concern.
The presence of red blood cells in the urine (the medical term is "hematuria") can originate from anywhere in the urinary tract:

• Kidneys;
• Ureters (which connect the kidneys to the bladder)
• Bladder;
• Urethra.

Certain diseases that affect other parts of the body can also cause blood in the urine.Also, some triggers can differ depending on the sex.
Hematuria can manifest itself in various ways:

• It can present itself as an isolated or recurring episode.
• The urine may appear the color of blood (frank hematuria) or have a pinkish tint or cloudy appearance. This characteristic can vary according to the severity of the bleeding and the timing of the bleeding:
• Frank hematuria (red): indicates a considerable bleeding in progress;
• “Flesh-washed” hematuria: indicates slight bleeding;
• “Marsala” or “coca-cola” hematuria: can be associated with previous bleeding or the presence of hemoglobinuria.
• Sometimes, the body expels small blood clots, which make minor changes to the color of the rest of the urine.
• Again, blood can appear only at the beginning of urination or in its final phase; the initial hematuria (ie present in the initial phase of urination) suggests a prostatic or urethral origin of the bleeding.

Many of the causes of hematuria are of absolutely benign origin (such as a "urinary tract infection"); others may presage a major disorder affecting vital organs (eg kidney disease or cancer). For these reasons, you need to see your doctor or urologist as soon as possible.