– Urinalysis is a simple test that looks at a small sample of your urine. It can help find problems that need treatment, such as infections or kidney problems. It can also help find serious diseases in the early stages, such as kidney disease, diabetes, or liver disease.
– A urinalysis involves checking the appearance, concentration, and content of urine. For example, a urinary tract infection can make urine look cloudy instead of clear. Increased levels of protein in urine can be a sign of kidney disease. Unusual urinalysis results often require more testing to find the source of the problem.
🔅 Different methods of urinalysis:
1) Visual tests
2) Chemical tests (dipstick test)
3) Microscopic tests
– Each method can provide different information about the urine and the health of the person who provided it.
🔅 How do I prepare for urinalysis?
– The recommendations below will help you to adequately prepare for a urinalysis test.
• Drink plenty of water before the test, but not too much. One or two extra glasses of fluid are enough. You don't have to fast or change your diet for the test.
• Tell your doctor about any medications, vitamins, or supplements you are taking. Some of them can affect the results of the test.
• Collect a urine sample in a clean plastic cup. You might be asked to use a clean-catch method, which involves cleaning your urinary opening and urinating a small amount into the toilet before collecting the sample in the cup.
#Note:
– Avoid touching the inside of the cup or the lid with your hands.
• Return the urine sample to the technician or doctor as soon as possible. They will measure the temperature of the urine to make sure it is suitable for testing.
🔅 What is the detail test for urinalysis:
– The urinalysis test details to:
1) The Visual exam: The urine will be looked at for color and clearness. Blood may make urine look red or the color of tea or cola. An infection may make urine look cloudy. Foamy urine can be a sign of kidney problems.
2) The Microscopic exam: A small amount of urine will be looked at under a microscope to check for things that do not belong in normal urine that cannot be seen with the naked eye, such as red blood cells, white blood cells (or pus cells), bacteria (germs), or crystals (which are formed from chemicals in the urine and may eventually get bigger and become kidney stones).
3) The Dipstick test: A dipstick is a thin, plastic stick with strips of chemicals on it. It is dipped into the urine. The strips change color if a substance is present at a level that is above normal.
– Some of the things a dipstick examination can check for include:
• Acidity (pH): which is a measure of the amount of acid in the urine. A pH that is above normal may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary infections, kidney problems, or other disorders.
• Protein: which is an important building block in the body. Everyone has protein in their blood. But it should only be in your blood, not your urine. Your kidneys play a role in this process. Healthy kidneys remove waste products and extra water from your blood, but leave behind the things your body needs, like protein. When kidneys are injured, protein leaks into your urine. Having protein in your urine suggests that your kidney's filtering units are damaged by kidney disease.
• Glucose (sugar): which is usually a sign of diabetes.
• White blood cells (pus cells): which are signs of infection.
• Bilirubin: which is a waste product from the breakdown of old red blood cells. It is normally removed from the blood by the liver. Its presence in the urine may be a sign of liver disease.
• Blood; can be a sign of an infection, a kidney problem, certain medicines, or even heavy exercise. Finding blood in the urine requires further testing. It does not mean you have a serious medical problem.
– A urinalysis can help to detect many diseases before you feel symptoms. Finding and treating a problem early can help keep serious diseases from getting worse.
