CAUSES OF HEMATURIA

In hematuria, kidneys or other parts of urinary tract  allow blood cells to leak into urine. Various problems can cause this leakage, including:

• Urinary tract infections- These occur when bacteria enter in body through the urethra and multiply in bladder. Symptoms can include a persistent urge to urinate, pain and burning with urination, and extremely strong-smelling urine.

  For some people, especially older adults, the only sign of illness might be microscopic blood in the urine.

• Kidney infections (pyelonephritis)- These can occur when bacteria enter in kidneys from bloodstream or move from our ureters to kidney. Signs and symptoms are often similar to bladder infections, though kidney infections are more likely to cause a fever and flank pain.

• A bladder or kidney stone. The minerals in concentrated urine sometimes form crystals on the walls of our kidneys or bladder. Over time, the crystals can become small, hard stones.

  The stones are generally painless, so  probably will not know we have them unless they cause a blockage or are being passed. Then there is usually no mistaking the symptoms .kidney stones, especially, can cause excruciating pain. Bladder or kidney stones can also cause both gross and microscopic bleeding.

• Enlarged prostate. The prostate gland  which is just below the bladder and surrounding the top part of the urethra is often enlarges as men approach middle age. It then compresses the urethra, partially blocking urine flow. Signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) include difficulty urinating, an urgent or persistent need to urinate and either visible or microscopic blood in the urine. Infection of the prostate (prostatitis) can cause the same signs and symptoms.
• Kidney disease. Microscopic urinary bleeding is a common symptom of glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys filtering system. Glomerulonephritis may be a part of a systemic disease, such as diabetes, or it can occur on its own. Viral or strep infections, blood vessel diseases (vasculitis), and immune problems such as IgA nephropathy, which affects the small capillaries that filter blood in the kidneys (glomeruli), can trigger glomerulonephritis.
• Cancer- Visible urinary bleeding may be a sign of advanced kidney, bladder or prostate cancer. Unfortunately, one might not have signs or symptoms in the early stages, when these cancers are more treatable.
• Inherited disorders. Sickle cell anemia - a hereditary defect of hemoglobin in red blood cells which causes blood in urine, both visible and microscopic hematuria. So can Alport syndrome, which affects the filtering membranes in the glomeruli of the kidneys.
• Kidney injury. A blow or other injury to our kidneys from an accident or contact sports can cause visible blood in the urine.
• Medications. The anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide and penicillin can cause urinary bleeding. Visible urinary blood sometimes occurs 

• Strenuous exercise. It is rare for strenuous exercise to lead to gross hematuria, and the cause is unknown. It may be linked to trauma to the bladder, dehydration or the breakdown of red blood cells that occurs with sustained aerobic exercise.

  Runners are most often affected, although anyone can develop visible urinary bleeding after an intense workout.

RISK FACTORS

Almost anyone including children and teens can have red blood cells in the urine. Factors that make this more likely include:

• Age- Many men older than 50 have occasional hematuria due to an enlarged prostate gland.
• A recent infection- Kidney inflammation after a viral or bacterial infection (post-infectious glomerulonephritis) is one of the leading causes of visible urinary blood in children.
• Family history-One might be more prone to urinary bleeding if they have a family history of kidney disease or kidney stones.
• Certain medications- Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers and antibiotics such as penicillin are known to increase the risk of urinary bleeding.
• Strenuous exercise-Long-distance runners are especially prone to exercise-induced urinary bleeding. In fact, the condition is sometimes called jogger's hematuria. But anyone who works out strenuously can develop symptoms