Urinalysis

A urinalysis is a test of your urine. It's used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease and diabetes. A urinalysis involves checking the appearance, concentration and content of urine. For example, a urinary tract infection can make urine look cloudy instead of clear. Increased levels of protein in urine can be a sign of kidney disease.

A urinalysis is a common test that's done for several reasons: To check your overall health. A urinalysis might be part of a routine medical exam, pregnancy checkup or pre-surgery preparation. Or it might be used to screen for a variety of disorders, such as diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease, when you're admitted to a hospital. To diagnose a medical condition. A urinalysis might be requested if you have abdominal pain, back pain, frequent or painful urination, blood in your urine, or other urinary problems. A urinalysis can help diagnose the cause of these signs and symptoms. To monitor a medical condition. If you've been diagnosed with a medical condition, such as kidney disease or a urinary tract infection, your doctor might recommend testing your urine regularly to monitor your condition and treatment. Other tests, such as pregnancy testing and drug screenings, might rely on a urine sample, but these tests look for substances that aren't included in a typical urinalysis.

If you're having only a urinalysis, you can eat and drink before the test. 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: Cleanse the urinary opening. Women should spread the labia and clean from front to back. Men should wipe the tip of the penis. Begin to urinate into the toilet. Pass the collection container into your urine stream. Urinate at least 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60 milliliters) into the collection container. Finish urinating into the toilet. Deliver the sample as directed by your health care provider. If you can't deliver the sample to the designated area within 60 minutes of collection, refrigerate the sample, unless your provider has told you otherwise. 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.