Blood in the urine (hematuria): why it needs a check
Pink, red or cola-colored urine, or blood that turns up on a lab test alone, should always be checked by a urologist, even if it happened once and stopped. Infections and stones are common causes. Blood is also the most frequent sign of bladder cancer, which is why our team takes every report seriously.
What are the two kinds of blood in the urine?
Gross hematuria is blood you can see. Microscopic hematuria can't be seen and shows up on a urine test, often one done for another reason. Both deserve the same careful evaluation.
What can cause it?
Several causes are common, and more than one can be present.
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney or bladder stones
- An enlarged prostate
- Recent vigorous exercise
- Less often, bladder or kidney cancer
How do our urologists evaluate it?
We repeat the urine test and go over your history, including smoking and any blood thinners. Imaging of the kidneys, often a CT scan, looks at the upper urinary tract, and a cystoscopy checks the bladder lining. Results show whether you need treatment or simply follow-up.
Where are the tests done?
Visits and lab work can start at any of our four offices. Cystoscopy is done in the office or at our Marietta Clinic & Surgery Center, and imaging is arranged as part of the plan.
What happens if something is found?
An infection is treated and rechecked. A stone is handled as described on our kidney stone page. If a bladder tumor is seen, the first step is usually removing it through the urethra under anesthesia in Marietta, as explained on our bladder cancer page.
Blood in urine on advancedurology.com
Educational information, not medical advice.
More questions we hear
Does a blood thinner explain the bleeding?
Blood thinners can make bleeding easier, but they don't cause it on their own. We still look for the source with a urine test, CT scan and cystoscopy.
Will I need a CT scan?
Often, yes. A CT scan of the urinary tract is a common way to look at the kidneys and ureters, and we'll explain why it is recommended.
What is a cystoscopy?
A slim camera passed into the bladder lets our urologists see its lining. It can be done in the office or at our Marietta Clinic & Surgery Center.
Should I wait to see if it happens again?
Please don't. Even one episode that clears on its own deserves an evaluation.
Can exercise cause blood in the urine?
Recent vigorous exercise is one possible cause. We repeat the urine test after a few days of rest and check for other causes before settling on it.
Which articles go deeper on blood in the urine?
These short reads answer questions patients often bring to us.
- Is blood in urine always serious?
- Microscopic blood in urine found on a test: what now?
- CT Scan with Contrast: will I feel anything during the scan?
- CT Scan with Contrast: why did our urologists order a CT scan?
All 4 articles on blood in the urine and urology tests
Clinicians whose Advanced Urology profiles list this area: Daniel Roberson, PA-C, Amanda Boulos, PA-C, Shane Bell, PA-C, Anna Flint Todd, PA-C.
Videos from Advanced Urology
Videos play here from Advanced Urology’s YouTube channel, using YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode.
Noticing symptoms? Our plain-language guide, Blood in your urine? Here is what to do next, explains what to do next.
Let's sort this out together. Our offices in Marietta, Canton, Dallas and Jasper share one phone line and one caring team.