While seeing blood in your urine can prove unsettling, it does not always indicate a serious problem. Strenuous exercise can trigger hematuria, the medical term for this condition. Most common in runners, it can affect participants of other activities as well.
Cause
The exact reason why exercise triggers hematuria remains unknown, explains MayoClinic.com. Damage to the bladder wall during exercise might cause bruising and bleeding. The bleeding can also result from the breakdown of red blood cells that typically takes place during strenuous activity.
Duration
An article appearing on the website of the American Academy of Family Physicians notes that most cases of exercised-induced hematuria resolve themselves within 72 hours. The longer and more intense the exercise, the longer the bleeding tends to last.
Underlying Conditions
If your bleeding lasts longer than 72 hours, you should see a doctor to rule out conditions that could contribute to blood in the urine. Dr. Carol L. Otis, writing for her site Sportsdoctor.com, says possible causes include a urinary tract infection, bladder or kidney cancer, kidney stones and other kidney-related conditions.
Treatment
No official treatment exists for exercise-induced blood in the urine. An article outlining a case study of a runner suffering from hematuria, that appeared in "Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation" Volume 14 states not much is known about how to treat this problem but factors that might help include staying well hydrated and exercising without a completely voided bladder.
References
- Sportsdoctor.com: Blood in the Urine: Cause for Concern
- MayoClinic.com: Blood In Urine Causes
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Evaluation of Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria in Adults
- Oxford Journals" Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation": Exercise Induced Macroscopic Haematuria: Run for a Diagnosis?
