How much blood is normal for a uti

Bleeding from UTI (Urinary Tract Infection): Causes and Treatment

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a very common infection. It can occur anywhere in your urinary tract, which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most UTIs are caused by bacteria and affect the bladder and urethra.

When your urinary tract is infected, it can be painful to pee. You might feel a persistent urge to urinate, even after you’ve gone to the bathroom. Your pee might look cloudy and smell unusual, too.

A UTI can also cause bloody urine, which is also called hematuria. But once your infection is treated, bleeding from a UTI should go away.

In this article, we’ll discuss how UTIs cause bleeding, along with other symptoms and treatment.

A UTI doesn’t always cause symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you might experience:

painful urination (dysuria)
burning during urination
passing small amounts of urine
difficulty starting the urine stream
frequent urination (frequency)
constant urge to pee (urgency), even if you’ve already urinated
pressure or pain in your abdomen, sides, pelvis, or lower back
cloudy, foul-smelling urine
bloody urine (red, pink, or cola-colored)

These symptoms show up in the early stages. But if the UTI has spread to your kidneys, you might also feel:

fever
flank pain (lateral lower back and sides of upper abdomen)
nausea
vomiting
fatigue

When you have a UTI, the bacteria infect the lining of your urinary tract. This leads to inflammation and irritation, causing red blood cells to leak into your urine.

If there’s a tiny amount of blood in your urine, it won’t be visible to the naked eye. This is called microscopic hematuria. A doctor will be able to see the blood when they look at your urine sample under a microscope.

But if there’s enough blood to change the color of your urine, you have what’s called gross hematuria. Your pee might look red, pink, or brown like cola.

If you menstruate, you might wonder if your bloody urine is caused by a UTI or menstruation.

Along with urinary bleeding, UTIs and periods share symptoms like:

lower back pain
abdominal or pelvis pain
fatigue (in severe UTIs)

To determine which one you have, consider your overall symptoms. You’re likely menstruating if you have:

bloating or weight gain
sore breasts
headache
mood swings
anxiety or crying spells
changes in sexual desire
skin issues
food cravings

These symptoms aren’t typically associated with UTIs. Plus, if you have your period, you won’t see blood only when you pee. You’ll also have red or darker clumps of blood continuously accumulating on your underwear with menstruation.

The only way to stop UTI bleeding is to treat the UTI.

A doctor will request a urine sample first. Depending on the results of the urinalysis, they may prescribe:

Antibiotics

Since a majority of UTIs are caused by bacteria, the most common treatment is antibiotic therapy. This medicine will help to destroy the bacterium that’s causing the infection.

UTIs are often treated with one of the following antibiotics:

trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
fosfomycin
nitrofurantoin
cephalexin
ceftriaxone
amoxicillin
doxycycline

Be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions and finish your medicine, even if you feel better. The UTI could persist if you don’t complete the treatment.

The best antibiotic and length of treatment depend on several factors, including:

the type of bacterium found in your urine
the severity of your infection
whether you have recurring or persistent UTIs
any other urinary tract issues
your overall health

If you have a severe UTI, you might need intravenous antibiotics.

Antifungal medicine

Some UTIs are caused by fungi. This type of UTI is treated with prescription antifungal medicine.

The first line of treatment is fluconazole. It can reach high concentrations in the urine, making it the preferred choice for fungal UTIs.

Home remedies can’t cure a UTI or stop bleeding, but they can support UTI treatment.

The following remedies can help relieve symptoms as the antibiotic and your body clear the infection:

Drinking plenty of fluids

While you’re being treated for a UTI, drink lots of fluids. This will make you pee more often, which flushes bacteria out of your body. The best choice is water.

To avoid worsening your symptoms, limit beverages that irritate the urinary tract. These drinks include:

coffee
tea
alcohol
carbonated drinks, like soda
artificially-sweetened beverages

Many people think cranberry juice can help, but the research is lacking. A 2012 review of studies determined that cranberry juice can’t prevent or resolve UTIs.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit your gut. They’re often used to balance gut flora and aid in intestinal health.

But according to 2018 article in Turkish Journal of Urology, probiotics might also help treat vaginal UTIs. The probiotic Lactobacillus inhibits the activity of certain infection-causing bacteria in the urinary tract, which could support UTI treatment.

However, scientists haven’t found that probiotics alone can treat UTIs. It’s thought probiotics are likely most effective when taken with antibiotics.

Get medical help as soon as you notice any UTI symptoms.

This is especially important if you have blood in your urine. Even if it only happened once or it’s a small amount, you should still visit a doctor.

When treated promptly, a UTI is easier to clear. Early treatment will help you avoid other complications.

It’s “normal for a UTI to cause bloody urine. It happens because the infection-causing bacteria in your urinary tract cause inflammation and irritation to your cells there. Your urine may look pink, red, or cola-colored.

If you have bleeding from a UTI, or if you have other UTI symptoms, see your doctor. You should stop peeing blood once your UTI is treated.

Bleeding from UTI (Urinary Tract Infection): Causes and Treatment

A UTI can also cause bloody urine, which is also called hematuria. But once your infection is treated, bleeding from a UTI should go away.

In this article, we’ll discuss how UTIs cause bleeding, along with other symptoms and treatment.

A UTI doesn’t always cause symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you might experience:

painful urination (dysuria)
burning during urination
passing small amounts of urine
difficulty starting the urine stream
frequent urination (frequency)
constant urge to pee (urgency), even if you’ve already urinated
pressure or pain in your abdomen, sides, pelvis, or lower back
cloudy, foul-smelling urine
bloody urine (red, pink, or cola-colored)

These symptoms show up in the early stages. But if the UTI has spread to your kidneys, you might also feel:

fever
flank pain (lateral lower back and sides of upper abdomen)
nausea
vomiting
fatigue

When you have a UTI, the bacteria infect the lining of your urinary tract. This leads to inflammation and irritation, causing red blood cells to leak into your urine.

But if there’s enough blood to change the color of your urine, you have what’s called gross hematuria. Your pee might look red, pink, or brown like cola.

If you menstruate, you might wonder if your bloody urine is caused by a UTI or menstruation.

Along with urinary bleeding, UTIs and periods share symptoms like:

lower back pain
abdominal or pelvis pain
fatigue (in severe UTIs)

To determine which one you have, consider your overall symptoms. You’re likely menstruating if you have:

bloating or weight gain
sore breasts
headache
mood swings
anxiety or crying spells
changes in sexual desire
skin issues
food cravings

The only way to stop UTI bleeding is to treat the UTI.

A doctor will request a urine sample first. Depending on the results of the urinalysis, they may prescribe:

Antibiotics

Since a majority of UTIs are caused by bacteria, the most common treatment is antibiotic therapy. This medicine will help to destroy the bacterium that’s causing the infection.

UTIs are often treated with one of the following antibiotics:

trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
fosfomycin
nitrofurantoin
cephalexin
ceftriaxone
amoxicillin
doxycycline

Be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions and finish your medicine, even if you feel better. The UTI could persist if you don’t complete the treatment.

The best antibiotic and length of treatment depend on several factors, including:

the type of bacterium found in your urine
the severity of your infection
whether you have recurring or persistent UTIs
any other urinary tract issues
your overall health

If you have a severe UTI, you might need intravenous antibiotics.

Antifungal medicine

Some UTIs are caused by fungi. This type of UTI is treated with prescription antifungal medicine.

The first line of treatment is fluconazole. It can reach high concentrations in the urine, making it the preferred choice for fungal UTIs.

Home remedies can’t cure a UTI or stop bleeding, but they can support UTI treatment.

The following remedies can help relieve symptoms as the antibiotic and your body clear the infection:

Drinking plenty of fluids

While you’re being treated for a UTI, drink lots of fluids. This will make you pee more often, which flushes bacteria out of your body. The best choice is water.

To avoid worsening your symptoms, limit beverages that irritate the urinary tract. These drinks include:

coffee
tea
alcohol
carbonated drinks, like soda
artificially-sweetened beverages

Many people think cranberry juice can help, but the research is lacking. A 2012 review of studies determined that cranberry juice can’t prevent or resolve UTIs.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit your gut. They’re often used to balance gut flora and aid in intestinal health.

However, scientists haven’t found that probiotics alone can treat UTIs. It’s thought probiotics are likely most effective when taken with antibiotics.

Get medical help as soon as you notice any UTI symptoms.

This is especially important if you have blood in your urine. Even if it only happened once or it’s a small amount, you should still visit a doctor.

When treated promptly, a UTI is easier to clear. Early treatment will help you avoid other complications.

If you have bleeding from a UTI, or if you have other UTI symptoms, see your doctor. You should stop peeing blood once your UTI is treated.

Capillary blood draw

See Necessary equipment for taking capillary blood

Preparing the patient for blood donation

Preparation may vary depending on the analysis. , For each specific analysis, if necessary, information can be obtained from the laboratory.
Blood sampling takes place in the morning before 12.00, preferably between 8.00-10.00.
Patient must be awake for at least 1 hour prior to blood collection.
On the day before the test, the patient can drink and eat as usual, but limit the use of alcohol, coffee and fatty foods.
At least 10-14 hours should elapse between the last meal and fluid intake and blood sampling. If necessary, you can drink no more than one glass of water without any additives.
Before drawing blood, avoid:
- Great physical and emotional stress
- Taking medications (if possible)
- Alcohol use
- Smoking
To stabilize blood circulation, sit quietly for at least 15 minutes before taking blood.
During blood sampling, the patient should not drink, eat, chew gum (the mouth must be empty).

Important to know

Capillary blood is stored much worse than venous blood, so you should especially carefully observe the storage conditions of the material according to a particular study.
Amount of material required:
- EDTA and ESR per amount of blood: 1 full capillary
- The amount of serum depends on the assay ordered, at least 2⁄3 of the volume of the microtube. If necessary, blood can be taken in 2-3 microtubes
The capillary does not contain an anticoagulant and therefore blood may clot. To avoid clotting, fill the capillary with blood and place the blood into a microtube to mix the blood with the anticoagulant as soon as possible.
As a rule, the soft part of the distal phalanx of the fourth finger of the left hand is punctured. You can also puncture the soft part of the distal phalanx of the third finger of the same hand, similar fingers of the right hand. In children under 3 months, the outer lateral surface of the heel is punctured

Capillary blood collection procedure

Identify the patient.
Issue/verify referrals.
Find out if the patient followed the prescribed diet and if they are allergic to substances contained in the disinfectant for cleansing the skin at the puncture site.
Position the patient in a comfortable and suitable position for drawing blood and check that the patient's hands are warm. If necessary, warm them in warm water or near a radiator.
Wear gloves.
Prepare the necessary tools for work.
Select puncture site.
Clean the intended puncture site with disinfectant and allow the skin to dry.
Fix the patient's hand and finger to be punctured; squeeze the soft part of the distal phalanx until a slight edema occurs and the end of the finger becomes dark red (see Figure 4a).
Puncture the skin slightly lateral to the central axis of the finger (Figure 4b).
The first drop of blood is removed with a dry cleansing wipe.
Completely fill the capillary with blood. In order to avoid the appearance of air in the microtube, keep the microtube in a horizontal position during blood sampling (Figure 4c).
To obtain a sufficient amount of blood, keep the capillary and tube in a horizontal position for better flow of blood from the capillary to the tube
If all tubes are filled with blood, then place a napkin moistened with a disinfectant solution on the puncture site and squeeze for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the capillary from the microtube and stopper the tube.
When using a microtube with supplements, mix the blood and the supplement contained in the tube. To do this, with rather sharp movements, turn the test tube upside down and back 5-10 times.
Label tubes.
Collect all the necessary means used in blood collection in a special container

Picture 4

Abundant menstruation. Possible reasons | Kotex®

Menstruation (menses) is uterine bleeding that usually lasts 2 to 7 days and occurs on average once every 25 to 35 days. Usually, blood loss during menstruation is from 30 to 50 ml, but the norm can be as high as 80 ml. To make it clearer, each fully soaked sanitary napkin or tampon absorbs on average about 5 ml of blood, that is, on average, women spend 6-10 pads or tampons per menstruation.

Abundant periods in the medical sense of the word are considered to be such periods in which the bleeding is so intense that the pad or tampon sometimes has to be changed every hour, that is, use 6-7 pieces a day and which last longer than 7 days. This condition is called menorrhagia and can cause anemia as well as clots larger than 2 cm in diameter. Often, such heavy periods are accompanied by severe cramps that interfere with leading a full-fledged lifestyle.

Signs of menorrhagia:

Menses last longer than 7 days
Loss of more than 80 ml of blood per cycle
Using more than 16 tampons or pads per cycle
Leakage or complete soaking of a pad or tampon within 30 minutes
Large blood clots (two ruble coin or larger)
The need to replace the gasket at night
Have to use two pads at once or a pad and tampon to avoid leakage

In addition, menorrhagia may be accompanied by symptoms that may also indicate anemia (a condition in which the hemoglobin and red blood cells are low in the blood):

What are the reasons for heavy periods?

If menstruation is profuse, prolonged and painful every time

This may be due to the presence of pathologies and changes in the body that you do not know about.

Hormonal imbalance

The female body secretes the hormones progesterone and estrogen, which regulate the menstrual cycle. Excess estrogen can cause the lining of the uterus to thicken, which in turn causes more bleeding during menstruation.

Ovarian dysfunction

The condition when the ovaries do not release an egg (ovulation does not occur) during the menstrual cycle is called anovulation. This is because the body does not produce progesterone as it does during a normal cycle.

Blood clotting disorder

Between 10 and 30% of women with heavy periods suffer from bleeding disorders that can lead to difficulty stopping bleeding.

Uterine polyps

Polyps are small benign growths in the uterus that can increase the amount of blood sheds during menstruation. They can also cause slight bleeding between cycles and after penetrative intercourse. Sometimes polyps can degenerate into malignant tumors, especially in older women, so they are recommended to be removed.

Uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors in the muscular layer of the uterus. Most often they appear in women of late reproductive age (35-45 years). This is a very common condition that about 80% of women encounter during their lives. Menorrhagia is most often caused by large or numerous fibroids. Most often, fibroids are small and are not accompanied by any symptoms.

Premenopause

This period is characterized by hormonal changes before menopause, and many women notice an increase in the volume of menstruation

Postpartum recovery

It is not uncommon for menses to be very heavy after childbirth. In some women, they gradually become what they were before childbirth, but in many they remain plentiful.

Endometrial hyperplasia

Some women may develop a condition in which the endometrium of the uterus becomes too thick. This condition is called endometrial hyperplasia and can cause profuse, prolonged bleeding with blood clots. It most often occurs after menopause, but it sometimes happens to younger women as well.

Adenomyosis

Adenomyosis is a condition in which the endometrium of the uterus grows into the muscular and intermediate layers of the uterus. Most often occurs in women of childbearing age (25-35 years). In the places of germination of the endometrium, inflammatory processes occur. This condition is often difficult to diagnose and its causes are poorly understood.

Other diseases

Heavy periods may also be associated with endometriosis, thyroid disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and cancer.

If menstruation is heavy on the first day

Many women have more intense periods on the first day and then become weaker. However, if you have not experienced this before, you may need to consider whether you have changed oral contraceptives or started taking any other medications that could affect hormone levels.

Once heavy periods

Miscarriage

Often, miscarriages can occur before a woman knows she is pregnant, because at very early stages they can pass like heavy periods.

Ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself outside the uterus. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy can easily be confused with heavy menstruation. This condition can be deadly.

If you are pregnant and start to bleed profusely, call an ambulance!

Non-hormonal IUD

Heavy periods are a typical side effect of the use of non-hormonal uterine coils.

Medicines

Blood thinners and anti-inflammatory drugs may cause more heavy menstrual bleeding.

Please remember that heavy menstruation is not always due to some kind of pathology. Every woman's menstrual cycle is unique and heavy bleeding may just be a feature of your body. However, a large loss of blood can cause excess iron loss and anemia. With mild anemia, you may experience fatigue and weakness. More severe forms can cause dizziness, headache, and heart palpitations. Often heavy periods are accompanied by severe uterine spasms that cause severe pain (dysmenorrhea). Severe pain cannot be tolerated and this condition may require medical treatment.

What can be done at home to relieve heavy periods?