Healthy Kidneys prevent Blood & Protein in Urine. But how?!

Protein blood barrier

Normally, Urine produced by healthy kidneys is a cocktail of toxic waste products of cellular metabolism, a host of minerals, salts, smelly organic compounds & excess water. (Find the complete normal urine composition here). These components begin to get together to form Urine once healthy kidney micro-filters “strain” our blood through themselves. These micro-filters are uber-selective with what they “let-out” into the urine. This is such that, all blood cells & “plasma” proteins remain in the bloodstream while the wastes & excesses purge themselves out.

But what makes these Kidney Micro-filters that selective against leakage of blood cells & protein in urine?

LET’S DISSECT!

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Blood in Urine: Can it be resolved?

Haematuria (Red blood cells in urine) is not a disease in itself. It is a “sign” that points to an abnormality within your body.

The treatment approach towards haematuria would require a confirmed diagnosis of the underlying cause and adopting relevant medical and/or corrective surgical approaches. Whether it can be resolved completely or not would entirely depend on its root cause.

Link blood in urine

Presenting here, the general pointers that guide your treatment plan for patients with Haematuria. Continue reading “Blood in Urine: Can it be resolved?”

Blood in Urine: How to pinpoint the site of bleeding?

Haematuria (blood in urine) is a common reason for “Red Urine” in patients with Kidney and Urinary tract diseases.

If you consult your doctor for reddish discoloration of your urine, your doctor will first:

Clinical workup hematuria

Based on the clinical examination, you will be advised necessary laboratory-based tests to confirm the presence of blood in your urine.

These tests would also allow your doctor to get an approximate idea of where the blood could have been coming from, into your urine.

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Blood in Urine: The Bare Basics of Haematuria

Haematuria

WHAT IS HAEMATURIA?

Haematuria is the technical term for the presence of red blood cells (RBCs) in urine. This could range from minute quantities such that it is invisible to the naked eye (occult or hidden bleeding), to frank hematuria such that the urine assumes a reddish tinge to a cola-coloured appearance.

Red blood cells abundantly present in our bloodstream happen to carry a pigment called “Haemoglobin” within them. This is what gives our blood, a red colour and lends that reddish tinge to most urine samples that have blood in it.

Please note: For Haematuria, the urine sample must contain whole red blood cells and not just the red pigment of blood.

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