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What Causes Blood In Your Kidneys

Why Is There Blood In My Childs Urine

High Blood Pressure and Your Kidneys – A to Z Guide

Both visible and microscopic blood in the urine of children can be a sign of a medical condition or risk of developing a medical condition.

If a red, pink, or brown color is visible, the change is likely due to medication or eating certain foods. Regardless, parents should consult a doctor if they notice any abnormal color changes in their childs urine.

According to the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, roughly 3 percent to 4 percent of children will experience microscopic blood in their urine. Because microscopic blood isnt visible, parents should also look for these signs:

  • Puffiness around the eyes
  • Swelling of hands and feet
  • Abdominal or groin pain
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Kidney cysts

Its also possible that your child has benign familial hematuria, which could mean that there is nothing medically wrong with your child.

So Now Is The Time To Pamper Your Kidneys

If youre experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see your health practitioner and have a check-up, including tests to assess your kidney function.

And you should also make sure youre helping your kidneys stay in top shape by doing a thorough cleanse.

Even if you dont have any of these signs, a systemic cleanse is like a spa day for your kidneys. It helps them get in top shape and avoid damage and disease. This is why OsteoCleanse, The 7 Day Bone Building Accelerator was developed in conjunction with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

OsteoCleanse is not just about alkalizing your body, feeling younger and more energized, and removing osteoporosis drugs from your system. It does all of these things in just seven days, but at the heart of OsteoCleanses effectiveness are its kidney-boosting, liver-cleansing effects so youll strengthen and build your bones faster.

Its always a good idea to heed early warning signs and treat your kidneys to a cleanse before damage occurs, and its particularly important to offset the effects of aging on your renal system.

Causes Of Blood In Urine

Blood in your pee could come from anywhere in the urinary tract the bladder, kidneys or urethra .

If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause. Do not self-diagnose see a GP if you think it’s blood in your pee.

Possible causes of blood in urine

Other symptoms Possible cause
Burning pain when peeing, need to pee often, smelly or cloudy pee, high temperature, pain in sides or lower back

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What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Failure

In early stages of kidney disease, many people experience few or no symptoms. Its important to note that chronic kidney disease can still cause damage even though you feel fine.

Chronic kidney disease and kidney failure can cause different symptoms for different people. If your kidneys arent working properly, you may notice one or more of the following signs:

  • Fatigue
  • Poor appetite or metallic taste of food

What Causes Kidney Failure

Conditions That Can Cause Blood In Your Urine

The most common causes of kidney failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. Sometimes, though, kidney failure happens quickly due to an unforeseen cause.

When the kidneys lose function suddenly , its called acute kidney failure . This type of kidney failure is often temporary. Common causes of acute kidney failure can include:

  • Autoimmune kidney diseases
  • A urinary tract obstruction
  • Uncontrolled systemic disease like heart or liver disease

Kidney failure usually doesnt happen overnight. Chronic kidney disease refers to a group of health conditions that affect how well your kidneys function over time. If left untreated, chronic kidney disease can lead to kidney failure.

The biggest causes of kidney failure from chronic kidney disease are:

  • Diabetes: Unmanaged diabetes can lead to uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Consistently high blood sugar can damage the bodys organs, including the kidneys.
  • High blood pressure: High blood pressure means blood travels through your bodys blood vessels with increased force. Over time, untreated high blood pressure levels can damage the kidneys tissue.

Other causes of chronic kidney disease include:

  • Polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition where cysts grow inside your kidneys.
  • Glomerular diseases, such as glomerulonephritis, which affect how well the kidneys can filter waste.
  • Lupus and other autoimmune diseases that can affect multiple body systems.

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What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease

The most common cause of chronic kidney disease in Australia is diabetes. This is because high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the kidneys, stopping them from filtering wastes properly. About 4 in 10 cases of chronic kidney disease are caused by diabetes. Chronic kidney disease caused by diabetes is also called diabetic nephropathy.

High blood pressure can also lead to kidney disease. So can glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys that can either be inherited or follows an infection.

Other things that contribute to people getting chronic kidney disease are:

  • a kidney injury, infection or cyst in the past

The kidneys can also be damaged by misuse of some painkillers, prescription medicines and illegal drugs.

What Is Renal Vein Thrombosis

Renal vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms inside the blood vessel that empties blood out of the kidney. Unlike blockage of the artery that brings oxygen-rich blood to the kidney, a renal vein thrombosis is unlikely to cause permanent damage to the kidney or death of any portion of the tissue. However, it does impair kidney function that has a host of consequences. The greater danger is when the clot breaks away from the renal vein and reaches the lung where it causes an obstruction of the blood vessels . Renal vein thrombosis usually does not present with any specific symptoms and may be found incidentally or should be investigated as a possibility with certain conditions that are known to cause it.

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Treatment For Kidney Disease

If detected early enough, the progress of kidney disease can be slowed and sometimes even prevented. In the early stages, changes to diet and medication can help to increase the life of your kidneys.

If kidney function is reduced to less than 10 per cent of normal, the loss of function must be replaced by dialysis or a kidney transplant. Dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure that removes waste products and extra water from the blood by filtering it through a special membrane .

Renal Vein Thrombosis Incidence

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A renal vein thrombosis is more likely to occur in the backdrop of nephrotic syndrome in adults and dehydration in infants. It is estimated to affect between 5% to 60% of patients with nephrotic syndrome. Men are twice as more likely to suffer with renal vein thrombosis than women. Since conditions that lead to nephrotic syndrome are more common in later life, a renal vein thrombosis is more likely to arise in the 40 to 60 year age group.

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What Do The Kidneys Do

The kidneys have several jobs. One of the most important is helping your body eliminate toxins. The kidneys filter your blood and send waste out of your body in urine.

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of your fist. They sit under your ribcage, toward your back. Most people have two working kidneys, but people can live well as long as at least one is working correctly.

When the kidneys dont work effectively, waste products build up in your body. If this happens, you might feel sick. In the most serious situations, kidney failure can be life-threatening. However, many people can manage kidney failure with the right treatment.

The Effects Of Kidney Disease

Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage tiny blood vessels in your kidneys, which means they cannot filter your blood properly.

As a result, tiny particles of protein spill into the urine this is called microalbuminuria. As kidney disease progresses, larger amounts of protein spill into the urine this condition is called proteinuria.

As kidney disease progresses, waste products start to build up in your blood because your body can’t get rid of them. If left untreated, your kidneys will eventually fail and dialysis or a kidney transplant will be required.

Diabetes can also affect the nerves that tell you when your bladder is full. The pressure from a full bladder can damage the kidneys. If urine remains in the bladder for a long time, it can increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infection, which can spread to the bladder.

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When To Seek Emergency Care

Anyone who is having symptoms of renal vein thrombosis should get medical help immediately. Babies and children will need emergency care if they have a fever of 102 degrees or higher, a sudden swelling in a leg or any other symptoms of this condition. Parents should also watch for signs of dehydration. This includes crying without tears, extreme weakness, sunken cheeks and abdomen and light-headedness. Other warning signs include excessive thirst, dark urine and dry mouth.

Renal Vein Thromboisis Complications

Renal Failure &  It

Depending on the size of the clot and degree of obstruction, as well as pre-existing kidney disease, a renal vein thrombosis may lead to kidney failure. Should the clot dislodge from the renal vein, it will pass into the inferior vena cava, through the right side of the heart and obstruct the pulmonary blood vessels . This can affect the flow of blood to the lungs where carbon dioxide would be passed out and oxygen received. This is known as a pulmonary embolism and is potentially fatal.

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What Are Clinical Trials And Are They Right For You

Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.

How Is The Cause Of Hematuria Diagnosed

If youre seeing your doctor for hematuria, theyll ask you about the amount of blood and when you see it during urination. Theyll want to know how often you urinate, any pain youre experiencing, if you see blood clots, and what medications youre taking.

Your doctor will then give you a physical examination and collect a sample of your urine for testing. The analysis of your urine can confirm the presence of blood and detect bacteria if an infection is the cause.

Your doctor may order imaging tests such as a CT scan, which uses radiation to create an image of your body.

Another possible test your doctor may want to do is a cystoscopy. This involves using a small tube to send a camera up your urethra and into your bladder. With the camera, your doctor can examine the interior of your bladder and urethra to determine the cause of your hematuria.

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Overview Of Blood Vessel Disorders Of The Kidneys

, MD, Loma Linda University School of Medicine

). When blood flow in the arteries supplying the kidneys is completely blocked, the entire kidney or a portion of the kidney supplied by that artery dies . Kidney infarction can lead to the inability of the kidneys to process and excrete the body’s waste products . Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to adequately filter metabolic waste products from the blood. Kidney… read more ).

High Blood Pressure And Kidney Disease

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High blood pressure is increased pressure inside the arteries that carry blood from your heart to all parts of your body. Untreated, high blood pressure can damage your kidneys.

Also, high blood pressure can develop as a result of kidney disease or renal artery stenosis . Your kidneys control the amount of fluid in your blood vessels and produce a hormone called renin that helps to control blood pressure.

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What Is Microscopic Hematuria

Microscopic means something is so small that it can only be seen through a special tool called a microscope. Hematuria means blood in the urine. So, if you have microscopic hematuria, you have red blood cells in your urine. These blood cells are so small, though, you cant see the blood when you urinate.

What Are The Symptoms Of Hematuria

People with gross hematuria have urine that is pink, red, or brown. Even a small amount of blood in the urine can cause urine to change color. In most cases, people with gross hematuria do not have other signs and symptoms. People with gross hematuria that includes blood clots in the urine may have bladder pain or pain in the back.

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Renal Vein Thrombosis Treatment

Treatment should be targeted at the underlying cause and the clot may eventually dissolve on its own. However, various measures may need to be taken to prevent the clot from breaking off or new clots from forming.

  • Nephrotic syndrome needs to be treated accordingly depending on the cause. This may include drugs such as corticosteroids and immune suppressants. Other medication, like ACE inhibitors, to treat the symptoms of nephrotic syndrome also reduces the increased coagulablity of blood.
  • Cancer often needs to be treated surgically where the affected portion of the kidney and vein has to be removed. Failure to do so could lead to the cancer spreading to other parts of the body .
  • Anti-clotting agents are used to prevent new clots from forming. Warfarin is one such drug and is intended to prevent a blood clot from lodging in the lungs pulmonary embolism which can be fatal.
  • Dialysis is a temporary measure to help filter out wastes from the blood in the event of acute renal failure. It can be stopped once the normal kidney function returns.

Surgery is usually not conducted unless renal vein thrombosis is due to cancer or both renal veins have clots within it. Sometimes a filter is placed in the inferior vena cava to trap any blood clots that break away from the renal vein thereby preventing it from lodging in the lungs. However, anticoagulants are usually sufficient for this purpose.

How Is Kidney Failure Diagnosed

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Doctors use a variety of tests to measure kidney function and diagnose kidney failure. If your doctors suspect you may be at risk for kidney failure, they may recommend:

  • Blood tests, which can show how well the kidneys are removing waste from the blood.
  • Advanced imaging, which can show kidney abnormalities or obstructions .
  • Urine tests, which measure the amount of urine or specific substances in the urine, such as protein or blood.

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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Hematuria

Microscopic hematuria has no visible signs. Doctors will only know someone has it if a urine test finds it.

Gross hematuria is seen because it changes the color of urine, which can happen with only a little bit of blood. Often, red or tea-colored urine is the only symptom.

In some cases, hematuria can be one of many symptoms of another condition. For example, if a bladder infection is causing the hematuria, other symptoms might include fever, pain while peeing, and lower belly pain.

Renal Tumors Or Cysts

Renal tumors or cysts do not typically cause pain unless the growth is advanced or the disbursement is extensive. The three most common growth abnormalities include:

  • Renal adenoma: A type of benign tumor that can grow to a substantial size
  • Renal cell carcinoma : A type of cancer that usually begins in the tubules of the kidneys
  • Polycystic kidney disease : An inherited disorder in which benign, fluid-filled cysts proliferate throughout the kidneys

The pain would most often be unilateral and accompanied by hematuria, either visible or invisible .

If cancer is involved, persistent malaise and unexplained weight loss are telltale signs suggestive of an advanced malignancy.

PKD may also be symptom-free until such time as the formation of cysts causes structural damage to the kidney. In addition to flank pain, usually bilateral, PKD may cause progressively worsening symptoms, including headaches, high blood pressure, hematuria, abdominal pain and swelling, recurrent kidney stones, recurrent UTIs, and renal failure.

As opposed to many of the other renal conditions, PKD is associated with excessive urination rather than impaired urination. The most common form of PKD, known as autosomal dominant PKD, manifests with symptoms when patients are in their 30s and 40s. Around 10% will advance to renal failure.

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Treating Whats Causing Blood In Your Urine

Treatment for blood in urine will depend on what medical condition is causing the hematuria. For example, if you have a urinary tract infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If you have an enlarged prostate, your doctor may prescribe medication to shrink it.

For bladder or kidney stones, your doctor may use shock wave treatment, known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. They may remove the stone by inserting a scope through the urethra, or they may recommend surgery.

So You Have Some Blood In Your Urine

Watch How Kidneys Actually Work

Seeing blood in your urine can be an extremely dramatic and frightening experience that, unfortunately, many people will experience in their lifetime. Blood in the urine, or hematuria, is one of the most common reasons someone will seek the care of a urologist. While it can be scary and seem like youre losing a lot of blood, its important to remember that just a little drop of blood can make a lot of urine look red, just like a small drop of food coloring will turn an entire glass of water any color you like.

In general, there are two ways to classify hematuria, microscopic and gross. Microscopic hematuria means that the blood cant be seen with your own eyes. Oftentimes, your primary care doctor will mention to you that blood was seen on your urine sample. That is called microscopic hematuria. Gross hematuria is more obvious and is when your urine is red in color or you can see blood clots. Both types of hematuria should be evaluated by a trained professional and should not be ignored, even if the bleeding goes away.

In this blog, we will talk about a few of the common causes of hematuria, how your doctor will determine why this is happening, and some treatment options for the various causes.

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