5 Hydroxy Indole Acetic Acid (HIAA) (24 Hour Urine) Tips

Most people would panic on seeing slightly red urine being passed. A common urologic condition, this happens because blood cells are leaking into the urine. There are multiple reasons which can cause it, and not all of them are major causes for concern.

Read on to know more about some common causes, and how to manage this.

1. Urinary tract infections: There could be an infection of the entire urinary tract including the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and the urethra. In addition to blood in the urine, there could also be an urge to urinate, pain with urination, fever, and flank pain.
2. Enlarged or infected prostate: The prostate naturally enlarges with age and can obstruct the urethra, causing pain and blood in the urine. There is a constant urge to urinate and difficulty initiating the stream. Infection of the prostate also produces similar symptoms along with fever and pain.
3. Kidney diseases: In addition to infections, other kidney diseases including glomerulonephritis, which can also lead to hematuria. Kidney stones, which are quite common, are also another reason, and this will be characterised by the sudden sharp pain around the flank which is very diagnostic of kidney stones. Injury to the kidneys from trauma or sports is another reason for hematuria.
4. Cancers/tumours: Cancers in the kidney, bladder, or prostate can cause blood to appear in the urine, but this would happen once cancer has reached some advanced stage, not very early in the process.

Listed below are some risk factors for hematuria.

1. Age: Men older than 50 are more prone to hematuria
2. Sex: While men are more likely to have stones or prostate infections, UTIs are quite common in women below 50s.
3. Family history: though not hereditary, if kidney stones or cancers or infections are in the family, chances of developing hematuria also goes up.
4. Medications: Aspirin, blood thinners, NSAIDs, and some antibiotics increase the chances of hematuria.
5. Exercise: Long distance runners are shown to be more prone to developing hematuria.

Diagnosis: In addition to a physical exam, blood tests, imaging (CT scans and/or MRI) and cystoscopy might be required to confirm the diagnosis. Identifying the cause is extremely important as treatment would depend completely on the causative agent. Though hematuria is just one of the symptom, the underlying cause could have severe adverse effects on the whole body system.

Treatment: Whether it is an infection or enlarged prostate or kidney stone or tumour, once the cause is identified treatment is customised accordingly. Antibiotics for the infections, laser treatment for the stones, etc. are recommended.

If you see your urine turning slightly pink in colour, talk to your doctor immediately. Identifying the underlying cause and treating it will help solve the problem of hematuria.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
 

If you notice blood while urinating, you must visit a urologist to get a clear picture of the health issue. Blood in urine is known as hematuria in medical terms. Such a condition can occur in both men and women. It is a common condition and does not require the patient to panic. Rather immediate tests should be conducted to find out the cause of the blood and treated accordingly. Such conditions are very much treatable with a little care and vigilance following the doctor’s advice. Here are some of the common causes of hematuria in individuals: 

1. Urine Infections: Urine infections are the common cause of blood in your urine. Most commonly these affect the urinary bladder and rarely kidneys also. Prompt identification and treatment can easily revert this problem. 
2. Urinary Stones: Another major cause of hematuria, usually accompanied by pain in the abdomen. 
3. Enlarged Prostate: With an enlarged prostate, there can be blood flow with the urine. Rarely this may be a sign of cancer in the prostate. 
4. Exercise: This might come as a surprise for many of the fitness freaks. While exercises are needed for the body and rightly so; but exercises should be done in a certain limit. Heavy exercises, limitless and vigorous exercises can sometimes cause other health problems in the body. One such problem is the passing of blood in the urine. 
5. Medications: Quite interesting is the fact that long-term consumption of certain medicines might cause hematuria in individuals. Certain medicines like penicillin and aspirin are absorbed by the body to a certain extent. But overdose or the regular dosage might lead to further problems in the human body. 
6. Kidney Injury: A kidney injury is a form of internal injury which can be felt and manifested through signs and symptoms. Such injuries occur mostly to those who are in the field of sports. At times, a heavy punch, a hard training session, or an exhaustive fall might lead to kidney injuries. This, in turn, would cause hematuria. 
7. Tumors of Urinary Tract: Bleeding can occur from tumors arising from kidney, ureter, urinary bladder as well as urethra. These require timely detection and management. Early treatment leads to an excellent long-term outcome. 

Thus, these are some of the common reasons for the development of blood in the urine. However, it is a condition which can be best analyzed by the medical practitioner. Therefore, on the occasion of blood, you must get it tested and treated immediately.

In case you have a concern or query you can always Urologist in Lucknow & get answers to your questions!

Cow Urine is used for purposes of therapy in traditional Indian medicine and is called Gomutra. The use of cow urine for therapeutic purposes has a long history in Indian culture. In India, the cow is considered to be a sign of spirituality. Urine from a cow that is pregnant is believed to contain special minerals and hormones that offer lots of health benefits. It should be noted that cow urine therapy is not a nourishing process. Instead, it is cleansing and detoxifying in nature. Here try to figure out some health benefits of cow urine for skin and hair and more.

Pharmaceutical Benefits of Gomutra or Cow Urine

Check out these health benefits of gomutra, since it is used in ayurvedic treatment also, some other benefits are given below:

1. Cow Urine is used in the Ayurvedic treatment of cancer and leprosy.
2. Anemia can be treated using a mixture containing Triphala (Ayurvedic herbal Rasayana formula made of three equal parts of Bibhitaki, Haritaki, and Amalaki), Cow milk, and Gomutra. The mixture is known as Mahayograj Guggul.
3. Cow Urine is used in the treatment of fever. A mixture that contains Gomutra along with ghee, yogurt, and black pepper is used. Sore throats can be treated by gargling a mixture of cow urine distillate along with honey and turmeric powder.
4. Another benefit of cow urine is that a mixture of daruharidra and gomutra can be used to treat epilepsy.
5. In Nigeria, convulsions in children are treated using a concoction made of garlic, tobacco, rock salt, cow urine, and lemon basil juice.
6. Gomutra is also helpful in the treatment of peptic ulcers, asthma, and certain liver ailments.
7. Some Indian scientists from CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) received a US Patent for a mixture of cow urine distillate, which acts as an antibiotic. The purpose of cow urine is to behave like a bio-enhancer, which promotes the antimicrobial functions of antifungal and antibiotic agents.
8. A US patent was acquired in 2010 by a research department of Deolapar and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) for a drug based on gomutra, which validated its claims of being an anti-cancer drug. The mixture is claimed to prevent DNA damage caused by oxidation.
9. A water extract of Daruharidra (Tree Turmeric) called Rasanjana is administered with cow urine as a medication to treat Kapha-originated skin diseases.

Update From Lybrate: Stay fit and strong by consuming Health Drinks, available at Lybrate. Being a blend of natural ingredients, these products give a vitalizing boost of freshness.

Drink a lot of water up to 3 liters per day to prevent stone formation.

If there is blood in your urine, it is a sign of renal illness. While this could be happening because of various reasons, it is advisable to see your doctor soon.

Following are the causes of blood in your urine:

1. An enlarged prostate - An enlarged prostate is a common cause of the appearance of blood in the urine in men who are in their middle ages or older. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes the urethra to be compressed. This prevents the urethra from getting fully emptied while urination.
2. Cancer - A cancerous kidney, bladder or prostate gland can also cause blood to appear in the urine. It is another major cause of hematuria but usually occurs in older patients.
3. Infection - Infections like urethritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis or infection in any other body organ along the urinary tract is one of the most common causes of hematuria. Such bacterial infection in the urethra can also infect the kidneys and the urinary bladder. It results in the urge to urinate frequently and also causes blood to appear in the urine.
4. Kidney stones and bladder stones - Another reason that can cause blood to appear in the urine is the presence of stones in the kidney or bladder. These stones are crystallized minerals that are formed in the kidney or the bladder but fail to pass through the urinary tract. They cause blockage and pain and result in hematuria.
5. Polycystic kidney disease - PKD is a kidney disorder in which cysts filled with fluid form in the kidneys and impair the kidneys, causing them to fail entirely at times. It is an inherited disease and causes blood to appear in the urine.In children who are between 6-10 years of age, kidney disorder after streptococcal glomerulonephritis can be a possible cause of hematuria.

Human urine is a useful tool for the diagnosis and detection of several health conditions. The color, smell and density of your urine can reveal a lot about the state of your health. Color, especially, is a strong determinant of many ailments or concerns.

Here is a list of the health conditions you might be suffering from, based on the color of your urine:

1. Straw color to transparent yellow color: This urine color signifies that your body is healthy and perfectly hydrated. This should be the normal color of urine, which shows you are in good health.
2. Transparent or clear: Transparent and extra clear urine indicates that you have drunk too much water, which leads to the transparent appearance. It happens due to overhydration.
3. Dark yellow color: This shade of urine is considered normal, but it may indicate some amount of dehydration. You need to drink more water to eliminate the darker yellowish tinge from your urine.
4. Honey color: Urine of honey color signifies dehydration and you must consume increased amounts of water.
5. Pink or red color: Your urine may have a pinkish red shade when you consume foods like carrots, beets, blackberries and rhubarb. This may also happen due to the effect of some antibiotics or a drug which treats urinary tract infections. The presence of blood in your urine is indicated by these colors too, and it can lead to kidney diseases, UTI, prostate problems or tumors.
6. Orange color: Your urine may have an orange color which resembles the color of orange soft drinks. This occurs as a result of high dose of vitamins and several antibiotics. This color may also indicate dehydration or problems related to the kidney or bile duct.
7. Blue or green color: Such shades may be present in your urine because of dyes present in food items and medications. Your urine may turn blue or green, signifying several other medical conditions which require immediate medical attention.
8. Foamy: If your urine has a foamy appearance, irrespective of the color and shade, you need to consult a doctor. Consistent foamy or frothy appearance of your urine may indicate the presence of protein in your urine, which further signifies problems in the kidneys.
9. Maple syrup color: Urine of this shade indicates a severe case of dehydration or liver diseases

Your urine tells a lot about your health by its color, odor and density. The color is an essential determinant for detecting several health conditions, which may be simple or chronic in nature.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The condition in which blood appears in the urine is known as hematuria. The loss of blood in this condition could be gross or microscopic depending on the cause of the condition. There are several causes why blood may appear in the urine. Whatever the cause may be, hematuria is mostly indicative of a serious medical condition.

Here are 5 reasons that cause blood to appear in the urine.

1. Infection

Infections like urethritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis or infection in any other body organ along the urinary tract is one of the most common causes of hematuria. Such bacterial infection in the urethra can also infect the kidneys and the urinary bladder. It results in the urge to urinate frequently and also causes blood to appear in the urine.

2. Kidney stones and bladder stones

Another reason that can cause blood to appear in the urine is the presence of stones in the kidney or bladder. These stones are crystallized minerals that are formed in the kidney or the bladder but fail to pass through the urinary tract. They cause blockage and pain and result in hematuria.

3. An enlarged prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common cause of appearance of blood in the urine in men who are in their middle ages or older. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes the urethra to be compressed. This prevents the urethra from getting fully emptied while urination.

4. Polycystic Kidney Disease

PKD is a kidney disorder in which cysts filled with fluid form in the kidneys and impair the kidneys, causing them to fail entirely at times. It is an inherited disease and causes blood to appear in the urine.

In children who are between 6-10 years of age, kidney disorder after streptococcal glomerulonephritis can be a possible cause of hematuria.

5. Cancer

A cancerous kidney, bladder or prostate gland can also cause blood to appear in the urine. It is another major cause of hematuria but usually occurs in older patients. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an urologist.

The condition in which blood appears in the urine is known as hematuria. The loss of blood in this condition could be gross or microscopic depending on the cause of the condition. There are several causes why blood may appear in the urine. Whatever the cause may be, hematuria is mostly indicative of a serious medical condition.

Here are 5 reasons that cause blood to appear in the urine.

1.Infection

Infections like urethritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis or infection in any other body organ along the urinary tract is one of the most common causes of hematuria. Such bacterial infection in the urethra can also infect the kidneys and the urinary bladder. It results in the urge to urinate frequently and also causes blood to appear in the urine.

2. Kidney stones and bladder stones

Another reason that can cause blood to appear in the urine is the presence of stones in the kidney or bladder. These stones are crystallized minerals that are formed in the kidney or the bladder but fail to pass through the urinary tract. They cause blockage and pain and result in hematuria.

3. An enlarged prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common cause of appearance of blood in the urine in men who are in their middle ages or older. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes the urethra to be compressed. This prevents the urethra from getting fully emptied while urination.

4. Polycystic Kidney Disease

PKD is a kidney disorder in which cysts filled with fluid form in the kidneys and impair the kidneys, causing them to fail entirely at times. It is an inherited disease and causes blood to appear in the urine.

In children who are between 6-10 years of age, kidney disorder after streptococcal glomerulonephritis can be a possible cause of hematuria.

5. Cancer

A cancerous kidney, bladder or prostate gland can also cause blood to appear in the urine. It is another major cause of hematuria but usually occurs in older patients. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an urologist.