Blood in pee campaign
22 July 2019
It is important for you to be aware of the various signs and symptoms of any type of cancer, as catching it early can make a huge difference in the prognosis. We are urging you all to be aware of blood in your pee and not to be embarrassed.
Key warning signs to look out for when it comes to bladder cancer include blood in urine, cystitis (a urinary tract infection) that is reoccurring or difficult to treat, pain or burning during urination, frequent urination and lower back pain on one side of the body. In addition to this, blood in your pee may be a sign of kidney cancer, look out for a pain that doesn’t go away in your stomach or below your ribs, unexplained weight loss, fever that lasts for week and extreme fatigue.
It’s important to know your facts when it comes to both bladder and kidney cancer, they affect both men and women, although they are more common in men. Most individuals diagnosed are over 50, although all ages can be affected. Risk factors include smoking, family history, other illnesses such as kidney failure and frequent exposure to chemicals.
If you don’t already, it’s important that you look before you flush the toilet. Otherwise you won’t notice whether your urine contains blood. The blood may be bright red, pink or brown coloured and there may either be a lot of blood, or a small amount. Any sign of blood in your urine, no matter what colour or what amount, you must seek medical attention immediately. Early diagnosis can make a huge difference to the outcome. Some symptoms may be caused by an infection of the bladder or kidney stones rather than be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer, but these may also need treatment so do not hesitate to seek help.
There is no need to be embarrassed when visiting your GP or a specialist, Mr James Adshead, a Consultant Urologist here at Spire Harpenden Hospital states: "Remember, if you see blood in your urine, we find a serious but treatable cause in about one-third of people so don’t wait for it to happen again."
To book a private consultation with Mr Adshead today please call 01582 714 420 and our friendly self-pay team will be happy to help.