What do urinalysis check

If your urinalysis results come back abnormal, your doctor may require additional tests to determine the cause. These can include:. Leukocytes in the urine could be a sign that you have an infection or an obstruction in the urinary tract or bladder. Learn more about white blood…. A urine pH level test analyzes the acidity or alkalinity of a urine sample.

Discover why it's important, what a normal urine pH level is, how to…. A urine drug test, also known as a urine drug screen, is quick and painless. It tests urine for the presence of illegal drugs and prescription…. When a urinalysis comes back positive for nitrites, it usually means you have a bacterial infection. Learn about nitrites in urine here. Discover the….

Learn why a creatinine urine test is done, how to prepare for it, what to expect during the test, and how to interpret the results. Learn why a uric acid urine test is performed, what to expect during the test, and what the test results may mean. A urine specific gravity test compares the density of urine to the density of water.

This quick test can help determine how efficiently your kidneys…. The hour urine protein test checks the function of the kidneys and detects disease. Urine samples are collected over a hour period and sent to a…. A urine glucose test measures the level of glucose sugar in your urine.

If you're having other tests, you might need to fast before the test. Your health care provider will give you specific instructions. Many drugs, including nonprescription medications and supplements, can affect the results of a urinalysis.

Before a urinalysis, tell your doctor about medications, vitamins or other supplements you take. You might collect a urine sample at home or at your health care provider's office. Providers typically give out containers for urine samples. You might be asked to collect the sample at home first thing in the morning, when your urine is more concentrated.

You might be instructed to collect the sample midstream, using a clean-catch method. This method involves the following steps:. In some cases, if needed, your provider can insert a thin, flexible tube catheter through the urinary tract opening and into the bladder to collect the urine sample. The urine sample is sent to a lab for analysis. You can return to your usual activities immediately. For a urinalysis, your urine sample is evaluated in three ways: visual exam, dipstick test and microscopic exam.

A lab technician examines the urine's appearance. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab. Abnormal: Many foods and medicines can affect the colour of the urine. Urine with no colour may be caused by long-term kidney disease or uncontrolled diabetes.

Dark yellow urine can be caused by dehydration. Red urine can be caused by blood in the urine. Abnormal: Cloudy urine can be caused by pus white blood cells , blood red blood cells , sperm, bacteria, yeast, crystals, mucus, or a parasite infection, such as trichomoniasis. Abnormal: Some foods such as asparagus , vitamins, and antibiotics such as penicillin can cause urine to have a different odour. A sweet, fruity odour may be caused by uncontrolled diabetes. A urinary tract infection UTI can cause a bad odour.

Urine that smells like maple syrup can mean maple syrup urine disease, when the body can't break down certain amino acids. Normal: 1. Abnormal: A very high specific gravity means very concentrated urine, which may be caused by not drinking enough fluid, loss of too much fluid excessive vomiting, sweating, or diarrhea , or substances such as sugar or protein in the urine.

Very low specific gravity means dilute urine, which may be caused by drinking too much fluid, severe kidney disease, or the use of diuretics. Normal: 4. Abnormal: Some foods such as citrus fruit and dairy products and medicines such as antacids can affect urine pH.

A high alkaline pH can be caused by severe vomiting, a kidney disease, some urinary tract infections, and asthma. A low acidic pH may be caused by severe lung disease emphysema , uncontrolled diabetes, aspirin overdose, severe diarrhea, dehydration, starvation, drinking too much alcohol, or drinking antifreeze ethylene glycol.

Abnormal: Protein in the urine may mean that kidney damage, an infection, cancer, high blood pressure , diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus SLE , or glomerulonephritis is present. Protein in the urine may also mean that heart failure , leukemia , poison lead or mercury poisoning , or pre-eclampsia if you are pregnant is present. A one-time urine collection, if normal, will be negative for glucose.

Abnormal: Intravenous IV fluids can cause glucose to be in the urine. Too much glucose in the urine may be caused by uncontrolled diabetes, an adrenal gland problem, liver damage, brain injury, certain types of poisoning, and some types of kidney diseases.

Healthy pregnant women can have glucose in their urine, which is normal during pregnancy. Abnormal: Ketones in the urine can mean uncontrolled diabetes, a very low-carbohydrate diet, starvation or eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia , alcohol use disorder , or poisoning from drinking rubbing alcohol isopropanol. Ketones are often found in the urine when a person does not eat fasts for 18 hours or longer. This may occur when a person is sick and cannot eat or vomits for several days.

Low levels of ketones are sometimes found in the urine of healthy pregnant women. Normal: Very few or no red or white blood cells or casts are seen. No bacteria, yeast cells, parasites, or squamous cells are present.

A few crystals are normally seen. Red blood cells in the urine may be caused by kidney or bladder injury, kidney stones , a urinary tract infection UTI , inflammation of the kidneys glomerulonephritis , a kidney or bladder tumour, or systemic lupus erythematosus SLE.

White blood cells pus in the urine may be caused by a urinary tract infection, bladder tumor, inflammation of the kidneys, systemic lupus erythematosus SLE , or inflammation in the vagina or under the foreskin of the penis. Depending on the type, casts can mean inflammation or damage to the tiny tubes in the kidneys, poor blood supply to the kidneys, metal poisoning such as lead or mercury , heart failure , or a bacterial infection.

Large amounts of crystals, or certain types of crystals, can mean kidney stones, damaged kidneys, or problems with metabolism. Some medicines and some types of urinary tract infections can also increase the number of crystals in urine. Bacteria in the urine mean a urinary tract infection UTI. Yeast cells or parasites such as the parasite that causes trichomoniasis can mean an infection of the urinary tract. The presence of squamous cells may mean that the sample is not as pure as it needs to be.

These cells do not mean there is a medical problem, but your doctor may ask that you give another urine sample. Normal: —2, millilitres mL per 24 hours. Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:.

Current as of: September 23, Seifert MD - Urology. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Test Overview A urine test checks different components of urine, a waste product made by the kidneys.

A regular urinalysis often includes the following tests: Colour. Many things affect urine colour, including fluid balance, diet, medicines, and diseases. Talk to your doctor about your urinalysis results, as the criteria for abnormal values can vary depending on age, gender, medical history, and other factors.

Before it is examined under a microscope, technicians spin the urine in a centrifuge in order to concentrate the solid particles and make them easy to examine.

Microscopic examination might reveal the following: 3. Sometimes a healthcare provider will also order a urine culture to be performed with a urinalysis. A urine culture is used to grow bacteria found in the urine sample in order to diagnose an infection. It usually takes several hours to get the results of a urinalysis, and one to three days for a urine culture to be complete. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. References Urinalysis.

Cleveland Clinic. July 13, July 30, Mayo Clinic. December 28,