What we need to know about urinalysis (urine test) 04/11/2021

Hello my dear steemians, receive warm greetings from me. Hope you all are doing great. I would like to share with you what I learned about urinalysis.

Urinalysis is a test that is done using urine, for the diagnosis of many diseases like urinary tract infections, diabetes, kidney diseases...
When a urine sample is collected in a urine container, the appearance (colour) and the concentration (either clear or cloudy) are being observed. A normal urine can be clear or pale yellow and clear as shown on the picture below

(Clear urine)

Some urine samples are either yellow or amber in colour and this might be due to kidney diseases, liver disfunction, dehydration, as well as blood being present in the urine due to hemolysis or from a menstruating female. It is shown on the picture below

(amber urine)

The urine can as well be pale yellow, yellow, or amber but cloudy (urine containing macroscopic whitish particles), and this indicates bacteria infection.

How to do urinalysis using a dipstick

A urine test strip coated with chemicals is dipped into the urine and the following parameters are checked for if present:

• Proteins. If present, can be a sign that your kidneys aren't working well since kidneys normally filter waste products out.
• White blood cells (leucocytes). If present, indicates infection or inflammation either in the kidneys or anywhere along the urinary tract.
• Glucose, which is a high sugar content and a marker for diabetes.
• Bilirubin. It is a waste product which is normally eliminated by the liver, so, if it shows in your urine, it may therefore mean that your liver isn't working properly.
• Blood. It might be a sign of an infection or it might be from menstruation. So, it is preferable to do a urine test for a female when she is not menstruating.
• Acidity or PH. If the acidity of the urine is abnormal, kidney stones or a urinary tract infection is suspected.