An urine analysis involves a laboratory test, commonly known as urinalysis. The urine is tested for the presence of certain chemicals. Also, a microscopic urine examination will be performed which will further give away any anomalies. Why is doing a urinalysis important and why should you do it on a regular basis? Find out in today’s article!
Urinalysis: Why is it performed?
A urinalysis is indicated for urinary abnormalities such as increased urine output, increased urinary frequency, blood in urine, or abnormal color. This test can also be useful in cases of unexplained fever, loss of appetite or sudden and unexplained weight loss. A urinalysis is often performed when the results of blood tests indicate a problem with the urinary system.
Any medical evaluation should include a urine analysis. The results of urine analysis can give an idea of the level of hydration and renal function, and may also indicate inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
The urinalysis is necessary because the urine provides important data that may help your doctor determine the cause of your illness. Examination of urine is very important because it indicates your general health condition. An urinalysis is done for several reasons:
- To control your overall health: Your doctor may recommend urinalysis as part of a routine medical examination, pregnancy examination, or to examine a variety of disorders such as diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease.
- To diagnose a medical condition: Your doctor may suggest a urinalysis if you experience abdominal pain, back pain, frequent or painful urination, blood in urine or other urinary problems. A urinalysis can help diagnose the cause of these symptoms.
- To monitor a medical condition: If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition such as kidney disease or a urinary tract disease, your doctor may regularly recommend urinalysis to monitor your condition and treatment.
The urinalysis shows the health of the kidneys
As we know, the kidneys are responsible for urine quality. In addition, the urine contains residuals removed from the blood through a kidney filtration process. In fact, even kidney health can be assessed through a urinalysis.
Urinalysis: Features
For patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, regular urine examination will help the doctor determine the health of the kidneys. For example, the presence of proteins beyond a certain level would be an important indicator for assessing the health of the kidneys.
The urinalysis process is normally grouped into three parts, namely visual examination of the urine, examination through a urine test strip and microscopic examination. The type of examination normally depends on the suspected disease. In addition, depending on the results of urine analysis, the doctor may recommend further urine tests.
Sometimes, the accuracy of urine analysis results may be affected due to certain medications you take, dehydration or other reasons. In such cases, your doctor may recommend you to repeat the urine test after a few days.
In some cases, your doctor will provide some instructions before collecting the urine for a urinalysis. Follow these instructions carefully, as they can have a significant impact over the results.
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