What's a Urinalysis?
A general urine test is a series of urine tests. Doctors use the results of the analysis to get information about the signs of certain diseases. Other names for this are urine tests, Urinalysis and UA tests.
What's a Urinalysis?
We know about pregnancy tests that use urine. Others are familiar with urine testing for employment or testing of athletes, for example, to eliminate drug use. But there are many other applications in medicine.
Have you ever wondered why health workers ask for a urine sample? Kidneys remove waste, liquids and other substances from the blood. Urine can contain many different hints about how your body is doing. Your urine talks a lot about your health. The most common use of urine tests is to detect substances or cells in the urine that indicate various disorders.
A general urine test is a series of urine tests. Doctors use the results of the analysis to get information about the signs of certain diseases. Other names for this are urine tests, Urinalysis and UA tests.
To check their general health, everyone should undergo a urine test as a child and then periodically as an adult. A urine test can be part of a routine check of your general health, for example, as part of an annual physical examination. A general urine test is one way to detect certain diseases at an early stage, for example:
- Liver disease;
- Kidney disease;
- Diabetes;
- Metabolic syndrome;
- Diseases of the urinary system.
Sometimes you will be asked to come back and give another sample.
Your doctor may also want to check your urine if you are preparing for surgery or are planning to be hospitalized. A urine test can also be part of a pregnancy test.
If you have symptoms of a problem with your kidneys or urinary tract, you can get tests to find out what the problem is. If you have symptoms of a problem with your kidneys or urinary tract, you can do tests to see why. These symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain;
- Back pain;
- Pain when you urinate or want to go to the bathroom often;
- Blood in urine;
- Thirst;
- General malaise and weakness;
- Nausea;
- Disorderly digestion.
You can also take this test regularly if you have a kidney disease that needs to be monitored.
How does a Urinalysis work?
There are three ways to test urine, and your test can use all of them.
One way of doing this is by checking the visual color and clarity of the urine. If your urine has blood, it can be red or dark brown. Foam can be a sign of kidney disease, and blurry urine can mean that you have an infection.
A microscopic examination checks for the presence of particles that are too small to be contained in your urine:
- Red blood cells;
- White blood cells;
- Bacteria;
- Crystals (mineral clots are a possible sign of kidney stones).
The third part of the urine test is a probe that uses a thin plastic strip treated with chemicals. It absorbs into your urine and the chemicals on the stick react and change colour if the level is abnormal. Things that the stylus can check include:
- Acidity or pH. If the acid is abnormal, you may have kidney stones, urinary tract infection (UTI) or other conditions.
- Protein. This may be a sign that your kidneys are not working properly. Kidneys filter out your blood waste.
- Glucose. A high sugar content is a marker of diabetes.
- White blood cells. It is a sign of infection or inflammation, both in the kidneys and elsewhere in the urinary tract.
- Nitrites. This means that there is an infection with certain types of bacteria.
- Bilirubin. If you find this unnecessary product, which is usually removed from the liver, it may mean that your liver is not working properly.
- Blood in your urine. Sometimes it is a sign of infection or certain diseases.
- Urobilinogen. Means that your liver is not working properly.
- Specific weight. Indicator that indicates the level of hydrotation in your body.
- Ketones. This can be a sign that the body is in a state of ketosis, and that there are complications with type 1 diabetes.
The AssayMe application allows you to interpret and understand the results directly on your smartphone screen.
How to prepare?
If the urine test is the only test you pass, you should eat and drink normally before the procedure. Beetroot, carrot and food dyes can stain your urine, so you can see what you are eating in advance.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements you take. If you have a menstrual period, let your doctor know before your examination. If you have a menstrual period, tell your doctor before your checkup.
You will either be asked to take a urine sample at home and bring it with you, or you will do so in your doctor's office. The office will give you a sample container. Also available is a simple and accurate version of AssayMe, you can do everything from the comfort of your home.
The best results are achieved by using the so-called "clean catch" method. Here are the steps:
- Wash the area around the urethra.
- Start urinating in the toilet.
- Stop in the middle.
- Allow 1-2 ounces to flow into the container.
- Finish peeing in the toilet.
For infants and others who cannot provide a sample in this way, the doctor may have to insert a soft, narrow tube, called a catheter, through the urination hole in the bladder.
What do these results mean?
This test offers warning signs, but cannot tell your doctor that something is wrong with you. The results may be a hint that you need more tests and follow-up.
We know about pregnancy tests that use urine. Others are familiar with urine testing for employment or testing of athletes, for example, to eliminate drug use. But there are many other applications in medicine.
Have you ever wondered why health workers ask for a urine sample? Kidneys remove waste, liquids and other substances from the blood. Urine can contain many different hints about how your body is doing. Your urine talks a lot about your health. The most common use of urine tests is to detect substances or cells in the urine that indicate various disorders.
A general urine test is a series of urine tests. Doctors use the results of the analysis to get information about the signs of certain diseases. Other names for this are urine tests, Urinalysis and UA tests.
To check their general health, everyone should undergo a urine test as a child and then periodically as an adult. A urine test can be part of a routine check of your general health, for example, as part of an annual physical examination. A general urine test is one way to detect certain diseases at an early stage, for example:
- Liver disease;
- Kidney disease;
- Diabetes;
- Metabolic syndrome;
- Diseases of the urinary system.
Sometimes you will be asked to come back and give another sample.
Your doctor may also want to check your urine if you are preparing for surgery or are planning to be hospitalized. A urine test can also be part of a pregnancy test.
If you have symptoms of a problem with your kidneys or urinary tract, you can get tests to find out what the problem is. If you have symptoms of a problem with your kidneys or urinary tract, you can do tests to see why. These symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain;
- Back pain;
- Pain when you urinate or want to go to the bathroom often;
- Blood in urine;
- Thirst;
- General malaise and weakness;
- Nausea;
- Disorderly digestion.
You can also take this test regularly if you have a kidney disease that needs to be monitored.
How does a Urinalysis work?
There are three ways to test urine, and your test can use all of them.
One way of doing this is by checking the visual color and clarity of the urine. If your urine has blood, it can be red or dark brown. Foam can be a sign of kidney disease, and blurry urine can mean that you have an infection.
A microscopic examination checks for the presence of particles that are too small to be contained in your urine:
- Red blood cells;
- White blood cells;
- Bacteria;
- Crystals (mineral clots are a possible sign of kidney stones).
The third part of the urine test is a probe that uses a thin plastic strip treated with chemicals. It absorbs into your urine and the chemicals on the stick react and change colour if the level is abnormal. Things that the stylus can check include:
- Acidity or pH. If the acid is abnormal, you may have kidney stones, urinary tract infection (UTI) or other conditions.
- Protein. This may be a sign that your kidneys are not working properly. Kidneys filter out your blood waste.
- Glucose. A high sugar content is a marker of diabetes.
- White blood cells. It is a sign of infection or inflammation, both in the kidneys and elsewhere in the urinary tract.
- Nitrites. This means that there is an infection with certain types of bacteria.
- Bilirubin. If you find this unnecessary product, which is usually removed from the liver, it may mean that your liver is not working properly.
- Blood in your urine. Sometimes it is a sign of infection or certain diseases.
- Urobilinogen. Means that your liver is not working properly.
- Specific weight. Indicator that indicates the level of hydrotation in your body.
- Ketones. This can be a sign that the body is in a state of ketosis, and that there are complications with type 1 diabetes.
The AssayMe application allows you to interpret and understand the results directly on your smartphone screen.
How to prepare?
If the urine test is the only test you pass, you should eat and drink normally before the procedure. Beetroot, carrot and food dyes can stain your urine, so you can see what you are eating in advance.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements you take. If you have a menstrual period, let your doctor know before your examination. If you have a menstrual period, tell your doctor before your checkup.
You will either be asked to take a urine sample at home and bring it with you, or you will do so in your doctor's office. The office will give you a sample container. Also available is a simple and accurate version of AssayMe, you can do everything from the comfort of your home.
The best results are achieved by using the so-called "clean catch" method. Here are the steps:
- Wash the area around the urethra.
- Start urinating in the toilet.
- Stop in the middle.
- Allow 1-2 ounces to flow into the container.
- Finish peeing in the toilet.
For infants and others who cannot provide a sample in this way, the doctor may have to insert a soft, narrow tube, called a catheter, through the urination hole in the bladder.
What do these results mean?
This test offers warning signs, but cannot tell your doctor that something is wrong with you. The results may be a hint that you need more tests and follow-up.