Hematuria
Hematuria refers to the presence of blood in the urine. There are two types of hematuria – gross and microscopic. If a person has gross hematuria, the presence of blood is seen in their urine. In microscopic hematuria, the blood can only be seen under a microscope.
Several things cause hematuria. An infection in the urinary tract is perhaps the most common reason people have hematuria. Other possible reasons include vigorous exercising, menstruation, trauma, intensive sexual activity, hepatitis, or endometriosis. Other more serious causes of hematuria include hemophilia, bladder or kidney cancer, kidney inflammation, sickle cell disease, or polycystic kidney disorder.
Hematuria can cause foamy urine because of the presence of phospholipids. Phospholipids are amphiphilic, and when the person has microscopic hematuria or suffers from pyuria without proteinuria, the ruptured cells can leak membrane phospholipids which causes urine to foam.
Doctors recommend a variety of ways to treat hematuria. For example, depending on the underlying condition that causes hematuria, doctors can prescribe either shockwave therapy to break bladder or kidney stones, take antibiotic medicines for urinary tract infections, or take prescription medication to decrease an enlarged prostate.
