Urinalysis
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According to the National Kidney Foundation, urinalysis is testing a sample of the urine of an individual. The test helps in detecting health issues that need to be treated and managed. These health issues include diabetes, urinary infections, and kidney infections. The test checks the appearance, concentration levels, and urine content. For instance, cloudy urine is due to a urinary tract infection. Urinalysis is conducted for the following reasons, they include;
- Checking of an individual’s overall health. It is recommended by doctors to do the test before surgeries, pregnancy checkups, or hospital admission to screen various disorders such as liver diseases and diabetes, among others.
- Medical condition monitoring. For an individual with a health condition, for example, kidney stones, doctors recommend testing the individual to know their progress.
- For medical condition diagnosis. For an individual experiencing abdominal pains, recurring pain when urinating, blood in urine, doctors will recommend a urinalysis test to identify the health disorder.
An individual who is about to undergo the test, he/she should have a regular drink and meal before taking the test. Those who have multiple tests should fast for some time while observing the doctor’s instructions. Intake of drugs such as supplements and nonprescription drugs affect the results of the test. Therefore, a person should tell his/her doctor about which medication he/she is under.
A urine sample may be taken at a person’s residence or the hospital in the doctor’s office. A medical professional provides a container where the sample urine will be stored. In the morning is the appropriate time to take a urine sample since the concentration is at its peak. Thus, results may be abnormal during this time. For more accurate results, collect the sample at midstream by using a method known as clean-catch. The method has the following steps;
- Cleaning the urinary opening. The tip male penis should be wiped using a clean cloth while females clean their labia from the front to back when it’s on spread.
- Then start to urinate.
- Then put the collection container into the urine stream.
- The urine in the container should not be less than 30 milliliters.
- Finish urinating.
- Take the sample to the doctor, and if it cannot be delivered within 60 minutes, refrigeration is required.
In laboratories, there are three ways in which urine is evaluated; they are:
- Visual exam. It involves the examination of the urine’s appearance by a lab technician. Since urine is usually clear, any coloration or even an abnormal smell may show a health condition, such as a yeast infection. When urine contains blood droplets, its color changes to red or brown depending on the blood volume present. Besides, the color of the urine is influenced by what a person has consumed. For instance, if a person has consumed beets, the urine will have a red tint.
- Dipstick test. Here, a thin plastic stick with strips of chemicals is dipped in a urine sample to show or detect abnormalities. The color of the chemical strips changes if there is the presence of a substance or if the levels are beyond the normal levels. The test tests for acidity, concentration levels, protein, sugar, presence of ketones, and bilirubin, and blood levels.
- Microscopic evaluation. In this evaluation, a microscope is used to view urine drops. When there are above average levels for white and red blood cells, bacteria or yeast, casts (tube-shaped proteins), and crystals in the urine, there is a need to do additional testing.
It is important to note that a urinalysis test does not provide a definite diagnosis. It just helps in detecting hidden health conditions. In some instances, further tests need to be done to ascertain a diagnosis for the proper administration of the treatment.
References
Simerville, J. A., Maxted, W. C., & Pahira, J. J. (2005). Urinalysis: a comprehensive review. American family physician, 71(6), 1153-1162.
Wu, X. (2010). Urinalysis: a review of methods and procedures. Critical Care Nursing Clinics, 22(1), 121-128.
Strasinger, S. K., & Di Lorenzo, M. S. (2014). Urinalysis and body fluids. FA Davis.
National Kidney Foundation. (2020). What is a Urinalysis (also called a “urine test”)? Retrieved from https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/c.php?g=508212&p=3476096