What Is Urinalysis, Why Is It Done, And What Are The Different Methods?

by Rahul Singh Content Writer

Overview

A Urinalysis is a laboratory test done by doctors, (mostly urologists but also useful in gastroenterology) in order to analyse the urine of a patient. Because toxins, waste and excess fluid in the body is removed through urine, its analysis can provide important health clues. Illnesses and disorders may affect how your body removes waste and toxins. The excretory system includes the lungs, kidneys, urinary tract, skin and bladder. A problem in any of these organs or body parts can affect the appearance, concentration and content of urine.

Why Is It Done?

Urinalysis is often used prior to surgery, as a pre-emptive screening during a pregnancy check-up, or as part of a routine medical or physical exam. A doctor might also order a urinalysis if they suspect conditions like:

Diabetes
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Urinary tract infection

If you already have one or more of these diseases, a doctor might use urinalysis to check on the progression of the disease, or the progress of an ongoing treatment. The test may also be used if a patient experiences certain symptoms, like:

Abdominal pain
Back pain
Blood in the urine
Painful urination

What are the different methods of urinalysis?

Once the urine sample is collected in a cup, the urinalysis will begin. The doctor will use one or more of the following methods to analyse the urine.

1. Microscopic Exam: In this procedure, a doctor will look at a drop of urine sample under a microscope. By doing this they are looking for:

Abnormalities in the red or white blood cells
Crystals that may indicate kidney stones
Infectious bacteria or yeasts
Epithelial cells, which could indicate a tumour

2. Dipstick Test: In this procedure, the doctor inserts a chemically treated stick into the urine sample. The stick changes colour based on the presence of certain substances in the urine. Through this test, the doctors look for:

Bilirubin, a product resulting from red blood cell death
Blood
Protein
Concentration or specific gravity (for dehydration)
pH levels or acidity (for kidney issues)
Sugars (for Diabetes)

3. Visual Test: The doctor will also examine the urine visually for abnormalities like:

Cloudy urine, which indicates an infection
Abnormal odour
Reddish or brownish urine, which indicates blood in urine

Suggestion

Urinalysis is available in most multi-facility hospitals. You can find the best internal medicine hospitals in Gurgaon and Delhi NCR, and also such hospitals in Patna, and one such hospital in Darbhanga in Bihar region.