If you have noticed strange changes in the urine during urination and you have performed a urine test, indeed, you have evidenced altered values such as, for example, the presence of red blood cells in the urine, but do you know why it happens and what you should do when respect?
The presence of high red blood cells in urine is significant, it should not cause alarm, but it should indicate immediate medical consultation. At FastlyHeal, we show you the causes of high red blood cells in urine and what to do about this issue.
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Hematuria or high red blood cells in urine
Medically, the presence of high red blood cells in the urine is called hematuria and refers to the presence of blood in the urine sample, a frequent finding in some patients, and that depends on various causes.
Despite frequent, it does not indicate normality in the genitourinary system. Therefore, it is crucial to know its meaning. Hematuria cannot always be visualized with the naked eye. It is so minimal that it can only be determined with a urine test in some cases. To be considered hematuria or high red cells in the urine, there is a reference value with more than 10,000 red cells per ml of urine or more than five red cells per field.
Hematuria also has a classification according to its characteristics. It is classified as microscopic hematuria (high red blood cells visible to the naked eye) or microscopic hematuria (high red blood cells, but they are not visible to the naked eye).
Causes of high red blood cells in urine
- Contamination of the sample: this tends to be expected, especially in women who are the ones who menstruate, so when taking a urine sample, this is a significant cause of high red blood cells in the urine, but due to contamination and not for an underlying cause. In this case, it would be recommended to repeat the urine test when menstruation has stopped.
- Urinary infection: sometimes, if you have a bacterial urinary infection, there is an inflammatory process of the urinary tract, and this process can be evidenced by high red blood cells in urine.
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia: In men with an enlarged prostate, there is blood in the urine due to the rupture of the blood vessels by veins torn on the prostate’s inner surface.
- Glomerulonephritis: the kidney comprises several structures, one of which is the glomerulus, where the filtration process occurs. When there is the condition of glomerulonephritis, the presence of high red blood cells in urine is frequent. It is a finding that guides the medical diagnosis.
- Renal lithiasis or kidney stones: the physical characteristics of the stone (characterized by having spicules) make it difficult to mobilize and bring with it bleeding.
- Intense exercise: High red blood cells in urine may be evidenced for at least 24 hours in high-intensity practices.
- Medications: Some drugs have the adverse effect of inflammation of the urinary tract or, failing that, the filtering capacity of the glomerulus is increased, bringing with it the presence of blood in the urine. On the other hand, there are some drugs called nephrotoxic that can even lead to kidney failure, and this, in turn, is reflected in hematuria.
Other causes of high red blood cells in urine
- Bladder cancer: generally, it occurs in the inner layer of the bladder, in which the main symptom is gross hematuria and is not accompanied by pain when urinating.
- Prostate cancer: at first, there may be difficulty when urinating. However, if the urine is expelled, it is normal for it to appear reddish when it is already in an advanced stage of damage to the surrounding tissues.
- Kidney tumor: this pathology is characterized by forming a mass of abnormal cells within the kidney. This can be benign or not. However, both show the main symptom of bleeding in the urine.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus: is an autoimmune disease that can affect blood vessels, joints, and even kidneys, causing inflammation and damage to the organ. This, in turn, can manifest with hematuria.
- Anemia: especially anemia caused by sudden or chronic destruction of red blood cells or hemolysis.
- Polycystic kidney disease: genetic disease in which cysts form that modify the structure and, in turn, damage kidney tissue.
- Kidney and prostate biopsy: every biopsy is an invasive procedure to obtain a portion of the organ under study, the kidney or prostate, to assess it at the microscopic level. The side effect of this procedure is hematuria.
- Accidents with kidney trauma: it is expected that when there is some trauma to the kidney, it can manifest with hematuria due to the damage to the organ that is generated.
- Bladder catheter trauma: the placement of the bladder catheter involves an invasive procedure for the individual, which has the adverse effect of bleeding from the urinary tract.
- Urethritis is an infectious process of the urethral canal that allows urine to escape from the outside, caused by some bacterial reason or sexually transmitted disease. It can manifest with pain when urinating and, in turn, elevated red blood cells in urine.
What to do if you have high red blood cells in urine
It is essential to see a doctor immediately when any change is observed in the urine or when the results of a urine test indicate high red cells are received.
As a complement to medical treatment, among the natural measures that can be effective, there are:
- Cranberry: prepared in juice, the antibiotic and diuretic effect stands out among its benefits. This is useful in the case of urinary infections.
- Spinach: can be ingested in juice together with coconut water. This directly treats bladder infections. It is also a potent diuretic.
- Bitter gourd: in juice or puree improves hematuria.
- Sodium bicarbonate is prepared with 250 ml of water, and half a tablespoon of water is diluted. This counteracts infections.
- Vitamin C: boosts the immune system and, on the other hand, increases urinary acidity, avoiding infectious processes.
Medical evaluation is essential; it should not be self-medicated under any circumstances. High red blood cells in urine are a delicate cause that requires medical diagnosis and treatment.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Red blood cells high in urine: causes, we recommend that you enter our Kidneys and urinary system category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.