Most people who pee blood would probably think that this was a little worrying. Sometimes blood in the urine can be the first sign of a really important problem such as a bladder or kidney cancer. These problems are more common in current or ex-smokers but even people with a healthy lifestyle may have them. For many people however it is not associated with any major illness and may go away on its own. Because you as a patient can’t tell if blood in your pee is important or not you are encouraged to report it to your doctor urgently. The NHS blood in pee campaign aims to get people who have passed blood in their urine to visit their doctor. More information is available “If you notice blood in your pee, even if it’s ‘just the once’, tell your doctor.” If you see your GP with this problem they are likely to do a urine test to check for infection and antibiotic treatment may be needed if this is the cause.
If no cause is found you may be referred to a specialist who will often offer a one stop assessment. This may include a clinic visit and then non-invasive scans such as ultrasound or CT with a telescope passed into the bladder to investigate the cause if needed. These tests can often be done on a single day and are offered for private patients at Tunbridge Wells Urology, with onsite ultrasound and CT scanning meaning that a convenient time is usually possible.
Often the ‘all clear’ is given and no long term follow up is needed, but if a serious condition is diagnosed then keyhole surgery for kidney and bladder problems can be offered and laser vaporisation of kidney stones can be performed if required.