HEALTH MATTERS: Dr. Arne Vainio discusses hematuria

Dr. Arne Vainio of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is a family medicine physician practicing at the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa/Fond du Lac Human Services' Min No Aya Win (MNAW) Clinic. Dr. Vainio shares about hematuria which is blood in the urine.

“Sometimes you can see it and sometimes it’s invisible. The blood you can see is called gross hematuria and blood that can only be seen under a microscope is called microscopic hematuria. A urinalysis is a urine test that’s often done for diabetes, prostate problems, to look for infection, to help sort out kidney disease, and for other reasons. There are many causes of hematuria and most of them are not serious. Picking out the causes that are serious makes all the difference. The blood you can see is usually more concerning. Hematuria can be caused by infections, kidney or bladder stones, kidney disease, periods, prostate enlargement in older men, anti-inflammatory medications, and even strenuous workouts. The causes that need to be excluded are cancers in the kidneys, bladder, and other parts of the urinary tract,” Dr. Vainio shares.