Porphyrins (Urine) Tips

Our kidneys help in filtering waste and extra water from the blood through urination in the form of urea which is stored in the bladder. A healthy urinary system can hold up to around two cups of urine for 2-5 hours. On a normal routine, one urinates 4-8 times a day but urinating more than that and very frequently might indicate a health issue or just increased liquid consumption or overactive bladder syndrome. When there are other things like fever, stomach ache, vomiting, bloody or foggy urine, fatigue, pain while urinating, etc., with the need for frequent urination, then one might be suffering from urinary tract infection.

There can be many other causes for frequent urination: a diabetic patient may find a need to urinate frequently, during pregnancy, an enlarged prostate, discomfort or infection in bladder and pelvic part (interstitial cystitis), medications for high blood pressure, neurological problems. Some of the rare causes of frequent urination could be bladder cancer, bladder impairment, or radiation therapy.

If anyone finds these symptoms together with an urge to urinate frequently than usual, they should consult a doctor as it could be something big or can hinder their daily lives. One can go through certain medical examinations and tests to know the real cause of the problem as it could be serious. One should also inform the doctor if they find something unusual in their urination process.

Ease the Pain of Urinating

Any infection in the bladder or the urinary function can lead to painful urination. One can have various ways to ease the pain depending upon the reason for the frequent and painful urination.

● Antibiotics for treating urinary tract infection and prostate

● Hot baths or hot water bag ● Prostatic massages

● Medications ● Increase liquid intake to dilute the urine

● Avoiding chemical products near the genitals

Soothe the Bladder

One’s bladder can have many problems if not taken care properly. It is not always important that a serious health issue is the reason of the bladder dysfunction, but usually, it is because of the medications one is consuming or the unhealthy lifestyle. One can soothe the bladder by including a few things in their daily lives.

● Bladder training for overactive bladder syndrome;

● Strengthening pelvic floor through pelvic floor exercises known as Kegels, vaginal weights, and biofeedback;

● Retaining a healthy body weight;

● Terminate smoking;

● Lead an active lifestyle;

● Minimize constipation;

● Eating healthy food;

● Avoiding spicy food;

● Take medications prescribed by the doctor depending upon the reason of the infected bladder;

● Reduce or better terminate the intake of caffeine and alcohol;

● Increase the intake of water and liquids.

Take Away

Urination helps clean our blood and body from waste and extra fluids. But, if the need to urinate becomes unusual or one is having issues while urinating, then it is a matter of concern as it can affect the overall health and routine of the person. One should maintain and take care of bladder through simple ways of changing the lifestyle but should consult a doctor before taking decisions about medications.

How to Ease Frequent Urination during Pregnancy?

The growing baby puts pressure on your urine bag (bladder) making you feel like going to the toilet more often. Some of this can't be helped but if the frequency becomes troublesome and disrupts your sleep, then the urine needs to be checked for infection. Urinary infection is extremely common during pregnancy and one must drink plenty of fluids to keep the bladder flushed.

Blood in urine, medically known as Hematuria is not usually a cause of concern, but it can translate into an adverse condition if left unevaluated. The kidneys and other structures in the urinary tracts such as urethra (tube connecting the bladder to the outer part of the body); bladder (that stores the urine) and ureters (tube joining the bladder to the kidney) are the sources of blood flow to the urine. Hematuria can be accompanied by symptoms such as discharge of tea-colored, brownish-red or pink colored urine due to the presence of red blood cells, traces of which can only be detected under the microscope.

Underlying causes behind this disorder might be

1. Urinary tract infections is where the bacteria enter the body through the urethra and begin to proliferate in the bladder.
2. Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) is when bacteria infiltrate into the kidneys from the bloodstream or travel up from the uterus to the kidneys.
3. A kidney or a bladder stone is marked by the minerals in the concentrated urine precipitating out and molding into crystals that deposit on the bladder or kidney walls.
4. Enlarged prostate is a condition in which the prostate gland, that is situated just below the bladder surrounding the upper part of the urethra, starts growing as males head towards their middle age.
5. Kidney disease such as glomerulonephritis causes swelling of the kidneys, thus disrupting the filtering system.
6. Bladder, kidney and prostate cancer are also possible causes.
7. Hereditary disorders such as sickle cell anemia (a hereditary disease of the red blood cells in the hemoglobin) can also pose as a cause behind this disorder.
8. Kidney injury as a result of heavy blows, accidents or injuries sustained while playing a spot can also contribute to this condition.
9. Medications such as penicillin or the anti-cancer drug ‘cyclophosphamide’
10. Strenuous physical exercises like intense workout or running may also result in Hematuria.

Treatments
There is no fixed cure for Hematuria; instead the doctor would work on treating the repressed conditions behind the symptoms, such as prescribing antibiotics to heal the urinary tract infection or a medicine to shrink and normalize the enlarged prostate or administer a shock wave therapy to destroy the kidney or bladder stones. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.

Changes in the colour of your urine can reveal important information about your health. If your urine takes on a hue beyond what's normal, it can be indicative of something wrong with your health. In general, the normal urine colour varies from pale yellow to deep yellowish-brown, which is a result of a chemical pigment in the urine called urochrome.

1. Red or Pink

• When your kidneys, urethra, bladder or any other urinary tract organ gets infected or inflamed, blood cells get leaked into the urine, giving it a red hue. The causes behind the presence of blood can be urinary tract infections, kidney cysts, kidney stones, enlarged prostate and even cancer. Taking blood thinners can also cause you to have blood in your urine.
• Certain foods like blackberries, rhubarb and beets can cause your urine to turn pink.
• The use of certain medications like a particular class of antibiotic used in the treatment of tuberculosis can turn your urine red. Likewise, a drug used to numb discomfort in the urinary tract can cause a red/pink discoloration of your urine.

2. Blue or Green

• The consumption of coloured food dyes containing green or blue pigments can cause you to pass urine of such hues.
• Certain anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory medications can turn your urine green/blue.
• A very rare medical condition called familial benign hypercalcemia (fbh), characterised by high levels of calcium in thE blood and low levels of the mineral in the urine can cause your urine to turn blue.
• Green urine can also occur if your urinary tract gets infected by the pseudomonas bacteria.

3. Dark Brown

• Having large amounts of these foods - aloe, rhubarb (a type of leafy green) and broad beans can cause you to pass dark brown urine.
• Certain anti-malarial drugs, laxatives and muscle relaxants can darken the colour of your urine as well.
• Dark brown urine can also be caused by disorders of the kidney or liver as well as infections of the urinary tract.
• Injury of the muscle as a result of excessive training can result in dark brown urine.

4. Orange

• Problems with the bile duct (the duct through which bile from the gall bladder and liver passes before entering the duodenum) or liver along with the passing of light coloured stools can result in orange urine.
• A cause of orange urine may also be dehydration as fluids bring about a decrease in the concentration of compounds present in the urine.

5. White

• The presence of calcium or phosphate sediments in the urine can give it a white hue.
• White urine can also be a result of funguria infection (a form of fungal urinary infection wherein the fungus produces white sediments) or a bacterial infection.

'consult'.

Related Tip: Kidneys Clean Every Minute! Simplest Way To Cleanse Your Kidneys.

5 Reasons You Will See Blood in Urine

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.

'Consult'.

Cow Urine Therapy has been in practice for many health problems in India for centuries. In India, cow is a symbol of spirituality and cow urine is not only used in devotional practices, but also comes packed with a bunch of health benefits.

'Kamadhenu' is worshipped for thousands of years as the Goddess who fulfils desire. In Ayurveda, cow is considered as the mother of all entities as the products obtained from cow are beneficial to all mankind in many ways. The milk, urine, curd, ghee and dung obtained from cow are beneficial in different ways as food supplement and medicine. Cow urine or Gomutra destroys the poisonous effects of residues and makes body disease free. The medicinal usage of Panchgavya, especially cow urine is practiced in Ayurveda which is classified as complementary and alternative medicine.

The two Indian epics, Shushruta samhita and Charaka samhita, have described that the consumption of cow urine produces body warmth. In modern medical science, it has been well established that the thyroid hormones are responsible for producing body warmth. The oral administration of cow urine has thyroid stimulating effect and therapeutic value of urinary iodine present in the cow urine is immense. Cow urine or Gomutra contains iodine, which is easily absorbable from the gastrointestinal tract. The mean urinary iodine levels in dairy cows may vary from 79.2 to 94.8 micrograms of iodine per litre of urine depending upon their physiological conditions. Iodine is an essential element to produce thyroid hormones such as triiodothyronine and thyroxine. These are catabolic hormones that generate heat and cause body warmth. It has been proven that the cow urine contains iodine in required level for normal functioning of thyroid gland.

Urinary iodine concentration in cow urine varies depending upon its biological status and it could stimulate the patient's thyroid gland activity on oral administration of iodine. Thyroxine stimulates more oxygen utilization and heat production by many different cells of the body.

During iodine deficiency, the pituitary gland secretes enhanced amounts of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which causes compensatory adjustment. This leads in the production of more extensive secretory epithelium which in turn will result in enlargement of the thyroid gland and loss of colloid material in the thyroid follicles. In this scenario, exogenous supplementation of iodine brings back the normal thyroid status.

The administration of cow urine, which contain good levels of iodine, can keep the thyroid gland activity on a better footing. We now have the support of scientific validation for the experience of warming up of the human body after consumption of cow urine or Gomutra.

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 consult 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.

Blood in Urine or Hematuria - Causes

Rather immediate tests should be conducted to find out the cause of the blood in urine and treated accordingly. Such conditions are very much treatable with little care and vigilance following the doctor’s advice. Here are some of the common causes of hematuria in men & women:

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 at 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 even blood in urine.
6. Kidney Injury: Sone times blood in urine occur due to kidney injury, where 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 in urine 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 blood in the urine. However, it is a condition that can be best analyzed by the medical practitioner. Therefore, on the occasion of blood, you must get it tested and treated immediately.

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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!