Urine is a sterile body fluid. Therefore, the evidence of white blood cells or bacteria in the urine is considered abnormal. And, it may suggest a urinary tract infection such as, bladder infection and infection of kidney. Urinalysis or a group of urine tests is performed to find out about the diseases such as Kidney disease, Liver disease and even Diabetes. A complete urine examination CUE blood test might be required to detect the presence of such diseases. Also, your doctor may want to test your urine if you are getting ready to have surgery or are about to be admitted to the hospital. In fact, Urinalysis can be part of a pregnancy check-up, too.
Why is a Urine Test Done?
Your urine can help doctors detect a range of health issues such as the ones mentioned above. Through this test doctors can check the appearance, content and concentration of the urine. It helps them understand your overall health as part of a routine health check-up, to diagnose a condition and to keep track of a condition post diagnosis. It can also be prescribed by a physician when a person experiences symptoms that may indicate urinary system related problems. Now, let’s take a look at the different types of tests.
How Many Types of Urine Tests are There?
There are different tests to analyze urine. Let’s take a look at the various types of urine tests:
- Visual Exam
A visual exam is done to check the color and clarity of the urine. If there is foam, it can be a sign of kidney disease, while cloudy urine may mean you have an infection.
- Microscopic Exam
A microscopic exam is performed to check for things too small to be seen otherwise. It could be used to find out the presence of Red blood cells, White blood cells, Bacteria and Crystals which is a possible sign of kidney stones
- Dipstick Test
It uses a thin plastic strip that is treated with chemicals. It’s dipped into your urine, if the chemicals on the stick react and change color, then there is a possibility of a disease. This test can be used to check for Acidity, or pH, Protein, Glucose, Nitrites, and Blood in your urine.
Other common urine tests are drug tests and pregnancy tests which are not a part of routine urinalysis. Urine drug screen is performed to check for drugs or their by-products in the urine. These tests are done for various purposes such as athletic screening, drug detoxification programs, school and employment screening.
How to Prepare for a Urinalysis?
If you wish to know about urine tests, you must also be aware of how to prepare for a Urinalysis.
- Before the test, you should eat and drink normally.
- It is important to note that beets and food dyes can discolor your urine, so you may want to watch what you eat beforehand.
- Additionally, you must talk to your doctor about all the medicines you take. This includes over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements.
- In case you are having your period, let the doctor know before the test.
What Do the Urinalysis Results Mean?
A Urinalysis can show warning signs but can’t tell your doctor for sure that anything is wrong with you. Hence, the results may be a clue that you need more tests and follow-up. So, the next set of steps would depend on why you had the test in the first place. For instance, if your results are just slightly abnormal your doctor may not do other tests. But at times if you already had a kidney issue or urinary tract infection, your doctor may want to change your treatment plan.
Summing up:-
As mentioned above Urinalysis is a group of physical, chemical, and microscopic tests. It helps to detect and measure several substances in the urine. The urine sample is collected in a clean container and it can be collected at any time. Usually, a first morning sample may be requested because it is more concentrated and more likely to detect abnormalities. To know about urine tests in detail, you must consult a suitable doctor.
If you are recommended to go for a urine test, you may visit a well-known diagnostic lab in Hyderabad.
