The presence of blood clots in urine, a condition known as hematuria, can indicate a variety of conditions, and patients are advised to see a medical professional to get an official diagnosis and treatment. Kidney stones can cause blood clots to appear in the urine, for example, though stones in the bladder can do the same. Urinary tract issues, such as a urinary tract infection, may also cause this symptom. In some cases, the cause is not a disease but inflammation resulting from an injury, such as falling or being hit in the kidney or bladder. One of the most serious causes of blood in the urine is a tumor in the kidney or bladder.
One of the most common causes of a blood clot passing in the urine is stones in the kidney or bladder. Kidney stones can be difficult to pass and may cause symptoms that include painful urination, pain in the groin, nausea, and vomiting. The resulting urine is often cloudy and orange, red, or pink, depending on the amount of blood in it. Stones can also occur in the bladder, with symptoms that include difficulty urinating despite the urge to do so frequently and abdominal pain. Medical professionals can usually diagnose kidney and bladder stones and may recommend treatment for particularly large stones.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is another common cause of blood clots in urine. The symptoms typically include pain in the lower back and abdomen, increased frequency of urination with a decreased amount of urine, and cloudy urine that smells bad. Patients who do not have any symptoms aside from blood in the urine may be suffering from an injury. Getting hit in the kidney or bladder, for example, can cause inflammation and bloody urine with no other symptoms aside from some pain in the flank or lower abdomen. Patients who suspect either an infection or injury in the urinary tract should see a medical professionals to ensure that the condition is not more serious than they assume.
In some cases, tumors in the organs of the urinary tract can cause this symptom. Bladder tumors often cause pain in the abdomen and back, recurrent UTIs, and bloody urine. Tumors may be benign or cancerous, so they should be checked out by a medical professional. The same goes for tumors in the kidney, which could be benign and fairly harmless or indicate renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer. The symptoms of renal cell carcinoma also include pain in the abdomen and back and weight loss.