Hematuria - Symptoms and Treatment

Urine is normally pale yellow or straw coloured. However, for various reasons, this can change. In fact, the change in the colour of urine is one of the first indications of a deeper underlying problem. This would also be one of the questions that the doctor would ask when suspecting any problem with the urinary tract, starting from infection to stones to cancer.

Hematuria is, therefore, a symptom and not a problem in itself. Some of the reasons for hematuria – presence of blood cells in the urine, producing a light pinkish urine, are listed below.

1. Urinary tract infections – starting from urethra all the way up to the kidneys

2. Glomerulonephritis

Kidney Stones-

1. Prostate enlargement

2. Tumours/cancers in the kidney, bladder, or prostate

3. Heavy exercises causing trauma to any of the internal urinary tract organs

4. Bleeding disorders

5. Certain medications

6. Appendicitis

7. Tuberculosis

As the disease progresses higher in the urinary tract, the severity of hematuria also increases. Though hematuria is a symptom in itself, there are some associated symptoms which are listed below-

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Abdominal pain

• Reduced appetite

• Urge to urinate

• Dysuria

• Painful/burning urination

• Feeling of incomplete emptying

• Nocturnal urination (if prostate is enlarged)

• Cloudy urine

• Nausea, vomiting

• Kidney pain (with stones especially)

Homeopathy believes in treating the person as a whole and not just the presenting symptoms. The doctor will ask a number of questions, some pertaining to unrelated organs, which will help them identify the reason for the hematuria. The treatment prescribed will be customised to the patient in question, but some of the common ingredients used in hematuria management are given below.

1. Hematuria from all causes can be managed with Terebinthina.

2. Bladder hematuria is better managed with Erigeron Canadense at 80% concentration while renal hematuria responds better to the same at 60% dilution.

3. Inflammatory hematuria can be reduced with Cantharis (80%)

4. Renal hematuria is better managed with Gossypium herbaceous (60%).

5. Renal colic with pain in the glans, groyne, and thighs responds well to Pereira brava.

6. Cocus cacti thrice a day is useful where there is itching of the urinary meatus along with the passing of red-coloured urine.

7. When there are small stones or sand particles in the urine along with pain at the end of the micturition process, Sarsaparilla thrice a day is known to be beneficial.

8. In some other people, Arnica Montana, Cantharis, phosphorus, and Hepar Sulphur are also used to relieve symptoms of hematuria.

As with any homeopathic treatment, the actual ingredient chosen would depend on the actual symptom that the patient presents with. Though these compounds are used, self-medication is not advisable. Talk to a specialized homeopath who will identify the right ingredient for a given clinical presentation.