Blood in the urine can indicate that you have a serious health problem. You may or may not actually see the blood yourself, but it can still be present in your urine. An infection, inflammation or injury to the urinary tract system, often causes blood to appear in the urine. There are a few things that you need to do in order to diagnose blood in your urine.
Instructions
1. Confirm whether or not you see any blood in your urine. Sometimes you're able to see the blood in your urine and if you do, it may look pinkish, red or a smoky brown color (like tea). If you see blood present in your urine, you should immediately contact your doctor.
2. Identify any unusual symptoms, pain or discomfort in your body. Even if you can't actually see the blood in your urine, you should still see a doctor if you have symptoms such as pain in the flank area (side of body), back or lower abdomen, frequent urination, burning or pain while urinating, a high fever, chills, cloudy urine, or nausea and vomiting.
3. Schedule an appointment with your doctor. If your doctor is unable to see you immediately, try locating a local walk-in clinic or visit the emergency room at a nearby hospital.
4. Explain your signs and symptoms to your doctor. You must inform your doctor about the amount and frequency of the blood in your urine. You should also tell him about any additional symptoms, pain or discomfort you may have.
5. Complete the necessary medical tests. Your doctor must give you a physical examination as well as other tests in order to make a formal diagnosis. Depending upon your symptoms, you may need to have one or more tests such as a urine "dipstick," urinalysis, urine culture, IVP (x-ray of the urinary tract), ultrasound of the kidneys, cystoscopy and a urine cytology.
Tags: your urine, blood your, , your doctor, urine should,