Chances are high of you having gross hematuria (visible blood in the urine) if the colour of your urine ranges from pink to red and brown. Normal urine should be pale yellow to dark yellow depending on how hydrated you are. You can also find out if you have microscopic hematuria via a urine test.
Is there a possibility it is nothing serious?Pink urine can just be a sign of infection, such as urinary tract infection (UTI), which can be managed with antibiotics.
However, it is advisable you consult a urologist to determine if there are infections, stones or malignancies (tumour or cancer) if the blood in your urine persists, despite the treatment of UTI.
Should you only be concerned if you experience pain with pink urine?The presence of pain during urination, such as pain in the abdomen and/ or a burning sensation while you pee alongside blood in the urine can be symptoms of a urinary tract infection or stones (urolithiasis).
The real worry is the presence of malignancies (kidney or bladder tumour or cancer), in which you may experience painless pink urine.
What are some of the investigation procedures you can expect for hematuria?Our urologist can help you stop the bleeding; locate the size and site of the injury; and do a biopsy of the tumour or cancer. Depending on the diagnosis, with the possibility of:
The following are some of the common causes of hematuria but are not limited to:
This article was contributed by Dr Toh Charng Chee, Consultant Urologist at Pantai Hospital Ampang. To know more about where and when to see Dr Toh Charng Chee at his clinic, click here.