It can be alarming when blood is in your urine after a day of cycling; however, cycling does not cause this problem. Blood in the urine, also known as hematuria, is caused by bleeding somewhere along the urinary tract and can be brought on by a urinary tract infection, kidney stones or chronic kidney disease. Consult with your physician anytime you see blood in your urine.
Causes
A urinary tract infection is caused by bacteria, usually E. Coli, entering the urinary tract through the urethra and rapidly growing in the bladder. Since women have a shorter urethra than men, they have more urinary tract infections. A UTI can result from wiping back-to-front, sexual intercourse, invasive birth control options, catheters and kidney stones. Kidney stones can also be caused by a UTI. If you have a family history of kidney stones, a kidney disorder or metabolic disorder, you have a higher risk of developing stones. Diuretics, bowel inflammation and excess vitamin D can also cause kidney stones. The actual stone occurs when crystals that fail to be broken down by urine's natural chemistry separate from the urine. The most common cause of chronic kidney disease, CKD, is diabetes and high blood pressure.
Identification
A urinary tract infection, UTI, will give you the urge to urinate frequently, but not a lot of urine will come out while using the restroom. There will be burning during urination which is most intense during the last drops. The urine may smell bad and blood could be present giving the urine a pink or brownish appearance. Kidney stones may have no symptoms, but when symptoms are present there are sharp cramp-like pains in the kidney or lower abdomen. These pains can later progress to the groin. As the stone moves through the urinary tract, blood may appear in the urine. As the kidney stone enters the ureter, the symptoms are similar to a urinary tract infection. CKD can also cause blood in the urine. Low blood count, fatigue, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, swollen ankles and nocturnal muscle cramps are all symptoms of CKD.
Treatment
Antibiotics, such as amoxicillin are usually given for UTIs. Antibiotics should be taken for the entire duration prescribed even if symptoms disappear in a few days. Stopping antibiotics too soon may cause the UTI to return and make the infection resistant to treatment. Drinking plenty of water and pain medication can lessen the symptoms of a UTI and passing a kidney stone. Save your passed kidney stone so your doctor can analyze the cause of the crystallization to determine the proper treatment plan. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy is the most common method for breaking a stone down into smaller particles so it's easier to pass through the urinary tract. Surgery may be needed for some kidney stones. Treating your high blood pressure or diabetes will be needed for CKD.
Prevention
Drinking cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections as long as you're not taking warfarin, which can result in more blood in the urine. Wipe front-to-back to prevent the spread of bacteria from your rectum to your urethra. Urinate after sexual intercourse and talk to your doctor about birth control options other than a diaphragm. If you get kidney stones, once your doctor determines the cause of your kidney stones, they will give you preventive strategies. You may need to cut back on meats, vitamin D or antacids with a calcium base. Your doctor must treat your underlying condition for kidney stones and CKD to prevent symptoms from reoccurring.
