What do urinalysis test for

The urinary system Skip to main content. What is a Urinalysis also called a "urine test"? Some of the things a dipstick examination can check for include: Acidity pH is a measure of the amount of acid in the urine. A pH that is above normal may be a sign of kidney stones, urinary infections, kidney problems, or other disorders. Protein is an important building block in the body.

Everyone has protein in their blood. But it should only be in your blood, not your urine. Your kidneys play a role in this process.

Healthy kidneys remove waste products and extra water from your blood, but leave behind the things your body needs, like protein.

When kidneys are injured, protein leaks into your urine. Having protein in your urine suggests that your kidney's filtering units are damaged by kidney disease.

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.

How dark or light the colour is tells you how much water is in it. Vitamin B supplements can turn urine bright yellow. Some medicines, blackberries, beets, rhubarb, or blood in the urine can turn urine red-brown. Urine is normally clear. Bacteria, blood, sperm, crystals, or mucus can make urine look cloudy.

Urine does not smell very strong, but it has a slightly "nutty" odour. Some diseases cause a change in the odour of urine. For example, an infection with E. Specific gravity. This checks the amount of substances in the urine. It also shows how well the kidneys balance the amount of water in urine.

The higher the specific gravity, the more solid material is in the urine. When you drink a lot of fluid, your kidneys make urine with a high amount of water in it, which has a low specific gravity.

Visual Exam For the visual exam, the urine will be examined for its color and clarity. Dark urine, abnormal colors , blood in urine, cloudy urine, or foamy urine can indicate kidney problems, dehydration , or other medical problems. Normal urine should range in color from clear to dark yellow.

Dipstick Test Chemical testing usually involves inserting a thin strip of plastic known as a dipstick into the urine sample. Chemicals on the stick react with urine and change color to measure the following: 7. Sometimes small amounts of certain substances, such as proteins, can be found in urine and do not indicate a medical problem. 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. This includes over-the-counter medications. Typically, a healthcare professional will provide you with a small container for the urine sample. You will be asked to enter a private restroom and provide oz of urine in the container for examination.

Cloudy urine could be a sign of an infection. This is sometimes accompanied by a strong odor. If urine is red or brown, it could be due to blood in the urine hematuria. Some foods can affect the color of urine, such as beets. A dipstick is a small, thin, plastic device that has chemicals on the surface. These chemicals react and change color if abnormalities are present in the urine.

A urine dipstick can check:. Acidity pH : pH level indicates the amount of acid in urine. Abnormal results could be signs of a kidney or urinary tract issue. Concentration: This test shows how concentrated the particles are in urine. A high concentration is often associated with dehydration. Protein: Protein is common in urine, but high levels could indicate a kidney problem.