A urinalysis is a simple test that examines a small sample of urine and can help find problems that need treatment, including infection or kidney problems. It can also help detect serious diseases in the early stages, such as kidney disease, diabetes or liver disease. Through the "Reassure Yourself" series, we learn about urine tests, their importance and how to perform them, according to the website of the National Kidney Foundation in the United States of America.
A urine test can have three parts:
Visual examination The urine will be examined for color and clarity. Blood may make urine red or tea or cola colored. Infection may make urine appear cloudy. Foamy urine can be a sign of kidney problems.
Microscopic examination A small amount of urine will be examined under a microscope to check for things that do not belong to normal urine and that cannot be seen with the naked eye, including red blood cells, white blood cells (or pus cells), bacteria, or crystals (formed from chemicals in Urine may eventually get bigger and turn into kidney stones.)
- The dipstick test is a thin plastic stick with strips of chemicals dipped in urine. The strips change color if the substance is present at a level higher than normal,
Some of the things a dipstick inspection can check include:
Acidity (pH) is a measure of the amount of acid in the urine. A pH above normal may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary tract infections, kidney problems, or other disorders.
Protein is an important building block in the body. Every person has protein in their blood, but it should only be in your blood, not in your urine. The kidneys play a role in this process.
Healthy kidneys remove waste and extra water from your blood, but they leave behind things your body needs, such as protein. When the kidneys are injured, protein leaks into the urine. The presence of protein in the urine indicates damage to the filtering units in the kidneys due to kidney disease.
Glucose (sugar) is usually a sign of diabetes.
White blood cells (pus cells) are a sign of infection.
Bilirubin is a waste product from the breakdown of old red blood cells. It is usually 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, kidney problem, certain medications, or even heavy exercise, finding blood in the urine requires further testing. This does not mean that you have a serious medical problem.
A urinalysis can help detect many diseases before you experience symptoms. Early detection and treatment of the problem can help prevent serious illness from getting worse.
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