Blood in urine: Part 4

Treatment

When hematuria occurs, the doctor has to treat the underling cause.

Urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotics and within a few days both the symptoms and hematuria will disappear. In rare cases, one may need long-term treatment with antibiotics

Kidney stones generally pass spontaneously through the ureter when one drinks a lot of water and remains active. If this method fails, then there are several other options to reveal kidney stones. One is non-invasive use of ultrasonic shock waves to break up the stone. Other more invasive methods include Cystoscopy or surgery.

Enlarged prostate does require treatment when the patient has symptoms. There is no ideal treatment for enlarged prostate. Every treatment has some negatives. In general, one is treated with medications and these do work well, but they also have side effects. When medications fail, the other options are use of heat, laser, or ultrasonic waves to shrink the prostate.

Immunological kidney disease does require treatment. The treatment depends on the type of kidney disease.

Cancers of kidney and bladder are generally treated with surgery. These tumors generally do not respond well to radiation or chemotherapy. In most cases, surgery is combined with an assorted variety of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Inherited disorders of the kidney which cause hematuria, do not always require treatment. Some disorders may cause extensive kidney damage and dialysis may be the only alternative.

Prevention of blood in urine

Unfortunately, one cannot not prevent hematuria. Even then, one should lead a healthy life style. Drinking adequate water and urinating right after intercourse does help prevent some urinary tract infections

To decrease the risk of kidney stones drink lots of water, limit salt, excess protein, and foods such as spinach.

To decrease risk of cancer, stop smoking, avoid exposure to heavy metals or chemicals and get regular exams from a physician.