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Blood in the Urine (cont.)

Medical Treatment

Many conditions can cause blood in the urine. Some of these have no medical significance and do not require treatment. They usually go away by themselves. Others can be serious and require immediate treatment. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the bleeding. Any time you notice blood in the urine you need to consult a health-care provider for an evaluation.

Kidney stones: For most cases of kidney stones, you will be told to drink plenty of water and other fluids and to take pain-control medications.

Most stones will pass through urinary system by themselves. In certain instances, more extensive measures may be required.

One form of therapy, called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, uses sound waves to crush the stones. The smaller pieces can then pass through the urinary tract more easily, though some pain will remain.

Another form of therapy uses cystoscopy to find the stone in the ureter and then to grab and remove it with a small scoop.

Urinary tract infection: Treatment seeks to get rid of the bacteria responsible for the infection. If you have no other significant illness, you will take a course of antibiotics for three to 14 days, depending on the source of the infection.

Benign prostate enlargement: Sometimes eliminating certain foods and medications that irritate the prostate can help shrink the prostate. Sometimes medication is necessary.

Medications: If a medication is causing hematuria, the medication should be stopped. Some medications only discolor the urine without actually causing hematuria. Your health-care provider should determine if these can be continued. Do not stop a medication without talking it over with your health-care provider.

Urinary tract blockage: A blockage usually requires surgery or other procedure to correct or remove the block.

Injury: These may heal over time, or you may need surgery or another procedure to repair the injury or remove the damaged tissue.