| When is a urine test needed?
Urine tests are very useful for providing information about
a wide range of diseases. The urine can be tested very quickly
using a strip of special paper, which is dipped in the urine
just after urination. This will show if there are any abnormal
products in the urine such as sugar, protein, or blood.
If more tests are needed to get more details, the urine
will be analysed at a laboratory.
A urine test can also be used to detect a pregnancy.
How is a urine test done?
If the doctor suspects a case of cystitis (infection of
the bladder), a sample of urine can be sent to the laboratory
for culture, which will confirm the type of bacteria present
and which antibiotics are best for treating the infection.
Urine is normally sterile, but it can get contaminated through
bacteria on the skin and the genitals on its way out. For
this reason, it is very important for men to pull back their
foreskin and wash their penis before the sample is taken,
whereas women should wash around the entrance to their vagina
before providing a sample.
It is also important that the woman keeps her labia (vaginal
lips) separated during urination, so that the urine does
not get contaminated with bacteria from the skin and the
vagina.
You take the sample by urinating first in the toilet, then
a little into a sterile test glass and then the rest in
the toilet. This gives what is known as a midstream specimen.
What can a urine test reveal?
It is possible to discover diseases of many different organs
of the body with a urine test. The sample can be taken alone
if, for instance, the purpose is to find out if you suffer
from cystitis. In other cases it will be taken along with
other tests (such as stool or blood tests) as part of the
investigation process. A urine test is a cheap, simple test
that can provide a lot of important information, for example:
blood in the urine may be a sign of different diseases
in the kidneys, the urinary system or the bladder.
sugar in the urine may be a sign of diabetes.
protein in the urine may be a sign of a kidney disease and
can be used to detect the early signs of kidney damage from
long-standing diabetes.
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