Can Stress Cause Blood In Urine?

Studies show that stress may worsen lower urinary tract disorders.¹Similarly, psychological or emotional stress may aggravate bladder conditions, such as increased urination. However, research has not proven the correlation between stress and hematuria (blood in urine)

Stress is a condition everyone faces at some point in time. Some experts describe stress as a physical or emotional tension, which is characterized by anger or frustration.² Also, people become stressed when overwhelmed with new conditions or situations.

When you encounter an overwhelming situation, your body reacts to it—making you tired or frustrated. While stress is vital for helping you fulfill your daily goals, it may lead to other health concerns when it becomes consistent.

While studies have not successfully linked stress as a direct cause of blood in urine, most assert that chronic stress can aggravate lower functional urinary tract disorders.

In a study conducted on rats, the investigators exposed some rats to stressful conditions.³ When comparing the stressed rats and controls, there were weak differences between the two.

For one, the stressed rats frequently urinated, which can be perceived as an effect of chronic stress. Similarly, those rodents also had increased mass cells in bladder tissues. Finally, they exhibited anxiety-like behavior.

It's safe to state that stress causes anxiety in people significantly since the condition may trigger other health concerns, such as insomnia. In the same vein, insomnia may aggravate restlessness—making patients restless and anxious.

Blood in urine is a medical condition known as hematuria.⁴ Seeing blood in your urine may be a sign of an infection or disease—making it crucial to speak to a professional about it.

Below are common reasons for hematuria:

UTI: Hematuria has some common causes, and one of the most known causes is urinary tract infection (UTI). This infection targets where you store urine and may also cause burning. Luckily, you can easily treat your condition with the help of a health professional.⁵
Kidney stone: kidney stone also causes hematuria. This happens when your body has too much calcium, resulting in urinary bleeding.

The Role Of Stress On Urinary Tract Symptoms

Stress affects the bladder—and can affect urine retention and storage. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is a word that describes a series of symptoms triggered by infections, obstruction, or irritation of the bladder.⁶

While these symptoms can affect both male and female genders, experts record a higher percentage of cases in men. Since these symptoms interfere with the proper functioning of organs, patients may find it challenging to live their daily lives.

In addition, stress is a condition known to worsen urinary tract functions because it triggers frequent urination, signaling lower retention ability.

Experts also believe that stress plays a significant role in bladder dysfunction, particularly in children. This may cause bedwetting or the inability to retain urine for an extended period.

Urinalysis

Experts conduct urinalysis by testing urine. ⁷ Urinalysis aims to detect a series of diseases, such as diabetes, liver problems, and urinary tract infections.

Similarly, experts use this screening to find diseases and other medical conditions. Urinalysis involves checking the appearance of urine. This process also includes scrutinizing cells, protein, and sugar in your urine.

It's safe to state that sugar, protein, and blood in urine usually signals a possible medical condition. When certain cells or substances are in your urine, your medical professional may need to do more tests to find the situation.⁸

Doctors conduct urinalysis based on numerous reasons. Here are some reasons why you may need a urinalysis.

Routine check: Many doctors recommend this test for pregnant women. Patients about to do surgeries may also benefit from this test as it helps screen out possible health conditions. Because the test analyzes your urine content, your healthcare specialist would be able to know if it's a urinary tract infection or diabetes.
Diagnosis: Experts typically conduct this test to diagnose a possible condition. When you are experiencing related symptoms of a particular disease or infection, the test will show your medical concern, enabling your doctor to give the required treatments.
Management: When you manage a specific condition, you may need to monitor it to understand the development continuously. Doctors may request you to take urinalysis every month to help control the disease.

Blood In Urine In Children

Children, like adults, may experience blood in the urine. Blood in urine or hematuria is a medical term describing a situation where blood or blood cells are in urine.

While hematuria is not common in children, it may happen based on numerous reasons. When you notice blood in your child's urine, you should visit a doctor because it may signal more severe conditions.

There are numerous reasons for hematuria in children. Here are some common reasons for hematuria in children.

Sickle cell disease: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common reasons for hematuria. Common amongst Hispanics and African Americans, SCD is a genetic disease that significantly affects their health.⁹ People living with SCD may experience hematuria—resulting from the abnormality of the hemoglobin.
Kidney cancer: The kidney is an essential part of the human body. To function correctly, you need the kidney to remove waste, which is harmful to the body. On the other hand, kidney cancer is a medical condition characterized by abnormal growth.¹⁰ This condition may cause blood in urine.
Strenuous exercises: While exercise is great for the body, overexerting yourself may cause injury. This injury may also lead to hematuria. To prevent this from happening, you should be careful while exercising
Medication: Some medications may cause hematuria. Reports show that cancer control drugs, like penicillin, can cause bleeding in the bladder. Also, other kinds of medications may trigger urinary bleeding.
Genetics: If people in your family experience urinary bleeding, this may result in hematuria in your child. This may result from genetics, causing your child to inherit conditions that cause blood in urine.

When To Talk With A Healthcare Professional?

When you see blood in your urine or notice a pinkish color, you may need to talk to a health specialist—there are different degrees of hematuria.

Gross hematuria is a degree of hematuria that is visible to the eyes. You can see your urine turn red or pink with this category.

On the other hand, microscopic hematuria means you need a microscope to see the blood. This usually means the amount of blood present is tiny for the naked eyes.

Hematuria is not the only reason your blood changes color. In some instances, food or fruits you eat may result from changes in urine color, making it necessary to conduct a urinalysis.

There may be a need to talk to a healthcare professional when:

You experience frequent urination: This is a situation whereby you visit the toilet more often than usual. Typically, frequent urination is a symptom of a disease or an infection in the bladder, making it challenging to retain urine. When you notice this sign, you should inform a specialist.
You experience painful urination: Painful urination is a sign that you may have an infection or problem in your bladder. Your doctor may prescribe some antibiotics to help you fight the disease. Maintaining good hygiene is also crucial in managing a condition.
You have stomach pains: Stomach pains happen based on numerous reasons. Without the help of a professional, it will be challenging to diagnose the condition accurately. When stomach pains accompany hematuria, it may be a sign of a more serious health condition.
You have nausea: Nausea is an urge to vomit, common in sick or pregnant people. If you notice nausea, you need to talk to a professional. This helps you control conditions in their early stages.
You have a fever: When fever accompanies hematuria, you should go to the hospital. The fever suggests that you may have a hidden medical condition, which needs urgent attention.

You can diagnose hematuria in different ways. Here are some common ways to detect blood in urine:

Urinalysis: Urinalysis is a urine test that checks for glucose, crystals, protein, and blood. Doctors recommend this test for patients who show signs of UTI or diabetes.
Urine culture: This is a test conducted by health professionals to check germs or bacteria in the urine, resulting in an infection. This test may also help you diagnose
Cystoscopy: This is another test for hematuria. The professional checks the bladder to find the possible cause of bleeding.

To treat hematuria, you need to find the reason for the condition. For instance, if a UTI caused urinary bleeding, you need to treat your infection to stop the bleeding. Similarly, if you got injured while exercising, you should change your routine to manage the condition.

Conclusion

Based on reports from a series of studies, stress is not the direct cause of blood in urine. While stress can cause weaker urine retention and incontinence, it cannot result in this condition. On the other hand, a series of diseases, such as UTI, kidney cancer, sickle cell disease, and others may cause urinary bleeding.