Urine Test Procedure may be required to perform the tests for sugar and albumin in ante-natal clinic, OPD, and in a diabetic clinic.The purpose of Urinalysis is to know the diagnosis of urinary tract. Following are some principles and procedure of testing a urine.
- Give the patient a clean, dry container for collecting the specimen. Instruct him/her to first pass a little urine in the latrine or urinal and then collect mid portion of stream into
- Twenty four hours collection of urine
If a female patient has any vaginal discharge the collection of urine is done as follows : - Ask the patient to clean her vulva with plain water.
- Instruct her to dry or wipe himself.
- Provide a clean cloth or cotton swabs for covering the vagina to prevent any drainage into the specimen. Instruct her how to dispose this, after use.
- About 100-150 ml of urine should be collected as specimen for lab test.
- Make proper level on the specimen container.
Twenty Four Hours Collection of Urine
For certain tests and also for knowing the amount passed in 24 hours some time 24 hours collection of urine is instructed by doctor. The following procedure is to be adopted.
- Select a big covered jar or container of approximate capacity of 2 Ltrs.
- The container should be clean and labelled. 24 hours collection of urine with patient name and bed number etc.
- Intimate the patient, relative and the attending sweeper about the procedure and instruct them not to empty the container.
- Instruct patient in detail the procedure for collection. All the time the patient passes urine should be collected and poured into the big jar labelled 24 hours collection. If even at one time urine could not be collected, then the whole sample should be discarded and the procedure for fresh collection should be re-started.
- The timing can be conveniently taken as 6 AM to 6 AM of next day
- For correct measurement one 6 AM sample either first or of the next day should be taken.
- Measure the total amount of urine and send it to Lab for testing.
- The procedure should be noted in the chart of the patient.
Being A Perfect Doctor You Must Know Urine Test Procedure And Urine Test Preparation
Equipment Required
- Test tube in test tube stand. 2. Test tube holder. 3. Spirit lamp. 4. Match box to light the lamp . 5. Acetic acid (Dilute). 6. Benedict’s qualitative reagent solution. 7. Fresh urine sample.
Acetic Acid Test
- Fill test tube up to 2/3 of its length with urine.
- Hold the test tube with test tube holder at an angle to, the spirit lamp.
- Flame only at the portion or upper layer.
- Observe if any cloudy appearance occurs.
- Add few drops of acetic acid
- If the cloudiness or turbidity disappears on adding acetic acid then it is phosphate. If the cloudiness persists then it indicates presence of albumin. •
- No cloudiness—No albumin.
- Slightly cloudiness—Trace of albumin.
- Heavy cloudiness—Significant amount of Albumin.
Benedict’s Test for Presence of Sugar
- Take about 5cc of Benedict’s solution in a test tube.
- Add 8 drops of urine by means a dropper to this solution.
- Boil over a spirit lamp .
- After it has boiled, remove the tube from flame and observe the colour of the contents.
- Be careful not to let the urine boil over and spill out of the test tube.
- Sometimes during boiling of tube the hot mixture suddenly jumps out of the test tube. So be careful and always hold the test tube opening away from you or any body standing near by you.
Observation
- Green colour—Trace of sugar.
- Green turbidity—Slight amount of sugar (+) Less than 0.5%.
- Yellow turbidity—Sugar (++) 0.5 to 1 gm %.
- Orange turbidity—Moderate amount of sugar (+ ++) (1 to 2 gm %).
- Brick red—Excess amount of sugar (+ + + +) 2 gm% or above.
Points to Remember
- After testing the urine wash test tube thoroughly using soap and water. After rinsing with clean water allow the test tubes to air dry by turning upside down with test tube stand.
- A positive sugar test always mean that the patient is diabetic.
- A lactating mother may show positive sugar test.
- Also a person taking excess sugar or sweets or glucose by I.V. route may show positive sugar test without any significance.
- A person taking more salicylate or vitamins or anti T.B. drugs may show positive sugar test.
Purpose of Urine Test (Urinalysis)
The benefits and purpose of urine tests are to detect disease. Here is a detailed explanation:
1. Check overall health
Urinalysis can help identify a variety of health problems. This test may be part of a routine medical exam, pregnancy test, or preparation for surgery.
Urine tests can also be used to identify health problems when someone is being treated in hospital, such as diabetes , kidney disease or liver disease.
2. Diagnosing medical conditions
This test will be needed if someone is suffering from a health problem. Sufferers who experience abdominal pain, back pain, difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, or other urinary problems are generally advised to do this test. Urinalysis can help diagnose the cause and symptoms of this disorder.
3. Monitor medical conditions
If someone has a condition such as kidney disease or a urinary tract infection, the doctor will also recommend regular urine tests. The goal is to monitor the condition and identify problems.
4. Evaluation of metabolic disorders in the body
This test can help identify health problems such as ketonuria, which indicates the body is burning fat as its primary energy source. This condition usually occurs in people with poorly controlled diabetes or in people on a ketogenic diet.
Urine tests can also help evaluate urine pH, which can provide an idea of the acid-base balance in the body.
5. Detecting harmful substances in the body
When harmful substances or metabolic waste are produced or enter the body, they will be excreted through urine. Therefore, by analyzing urine samples, doctors can identify the presence of these harmful substances. This includes detecting drug use, alcohol testing, and detecting toxic substances in the body.
6. Other purposes
Apart from those mentioned previously, other purposes of urine tests are:
- Determining pregnancy.
- Knowing the presence of foreign substances in the body.
- Identifying the development of a disease.
- Diagnosing disease.
- Detecting symptoms of disease.
- As a routine health check.
Types of Urine Test Examination
Generally there are three ways to analyze urine, including:
1. Visual inspection
This is a type of examination by checking the color, texture, and smell. Some things that can be seen from a visual examination are:
- If the urine contains blood, it may be red or dark brown.
- The presence of foam can also be a sign of kidney disease, while cloudy urine can mean an infection.
2. Microscopic examination
This examination checks small substances contained in urine through a microscope. This is to find out some things that should not be in urine. What are they?
- Red blood cells.
- White blood cell.
- Bacteria.
- Crystals (lumps of minerals, possible sign of kidney stones).
3. Dipstick test
This examination is a test that uses a thin plastic strip that is given a chemical. The strip will be dipped into urine, and the chemical on the stick reacts and changes color if the level is above normal. Things that can be checked by a dipstick test, such as:
- Acidity.
- Protein.
- Glucose.
- White blood cell
- Nitrite.
- Bilirubin.
- Blood in urine.
Diseases That Can Be Detected Through Urinalysis Tests
Diseases that can be detected through urine tests are as follows:
- Urinary tract infections: A urine test can identify bacterial infections in the urinary tract, such as a bladder infection or kidney infection.
- Diabetes: Urinalysis can detect the presence of glucose (sugar) in the urine, which may indicate diabetes or a disorder of glucose metabolism.
- Kidney disease: A urine test can reveal impaired kidney function, such as kidney failure, kidney stones, or other kidney damage.
- Liver disorders: This test can help in the diagnosis of liver disorders, such as hepatitis or other liver damage.
- Endocrine disorders: A urinalysis test can provide clues to endocrine disorders, including thyroid problems or other hormonal disorders.
- Hypertension: Urine tests can show signs of organ damage due to high blood pressure, such as the presence of albumin in the urine.
- Sexually transmitted infections: The types of diseases that can be detected through this examination are chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other sexually transmitted infections.
- Metabolic disorders: Urine tests can provide information about metabolic disorders such as gout or protein metabolism disorders.
- Kidney stones: A urine test can help identify the cause of kidney stones, such as excess calcium or high urine acidity.
- Immune system disorders: Urine tests can help in the diagnosis of autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Disorders of the nervous system: Clues to the presence of disorders of the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis or neuropathy.
- Substance or drug poisoning: Urine tests can detect the presence of toxic substances or drugs in the body, which can help in the diagnosis of poisoning or overdose.
- Disorders of the digestive system: Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease can be detected through this test.
- Disorders of the cardiovascular system: These include heart failure or coronary artery disease.
- Cancer: Urinalysis can also help in the early detection of certain cancers, such as bladder cancer or kidney cancer.
When Do You Need to Do a Urine Test?
When should a urine test be done? Urinalysis is highly recommended when someone feels pain in the urinary tract. For example, feeling stomach ache, difficulty urinating, pain when urinating, blood in the urine, or kidney problems.
These disorders are very dangerous if left untreated and not treated immediately. Because it will cause complications such as urinary tract infections or even kidney failure.
In addition to checking for urinary tract problems, urinalysis is recommended for pregnant women or people who are about to undergo surgery. Urinalysis can be done for routine medical evaluations or to assess a person’s overall health. Also read more about the Importance of Urine Checks for Health .
Before Urine Test
There are several things that need to be prepared before a urine test , including:
- Make sure to drink plenty of water, so you can produce enough urine for a sample.
- However, avoid drinking excessive amounts of water, as it can cause inaccurate test results.
- You do not need to fast or change your diet to take the test.
- Also tell your doctor about any medications or supplements you are taking. Some medications or supplements can affect the test results.
Urine Test Procedure
The urine test procedure only takes a few minutes, here is the procedure:
- Start by cleaning around the urethra with a pre-moistened cleaning wipe, provided by the medical team.
- Then, urinate a little into the toilet, then collect the urine sample in a glass or special container provided by the medical team.
- Avoid touching the inside of the container so that bacteria from your hands do not transfer to the urine sample.
- Once finished, close the container and wash your hands. You can give the container to a medical professional, or leave it in a special compartment in the toilet or a designated area.
After Procedure
After providing the sample, there are other things to know such as:
- Urine samples will be sent to the laboratory for further examination.
- When the test results come out, the doctor will read the results to you.
- If the results are abnormal, then there are two options. If you have previously been diagnosed with kidney problems, urinary tract problems, or other related conditions, your doctor may order further tests.
- Additionally, your doctor may recommend other types of urine tests to identify the cause of abnormal urine.
- If you have no other symptoms of an underlying condition, and a physical examination shows that your overall health is normal, your doctor may not recommend further medical treatment.
Follow-up After Urinalysis
After undergoing urinalysis, there are several follow-up actions that can be taken.
1. Consult the results with a doctor
After receiving the urinalysis results, it is important to consult a doctor to explain the results and receive proper interpretation. The doctor will be able to provide an explanation of the health condition based on the urinalysis results.
2. Further diagnosis
If there are suspicious or abnormal findings in the urinalysis, your doctor may recommend further diagnostics. This may include additional tests such as blood tests, imaging tests such as ultrasound, or referral to a relevant medical specialist.
3. Treatment
If the urinalysis results indicate a specific health condition such as a urinary tract infection or kidney disease, your doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment. It is important to follow the medication instructions carefully and to consult your doctor again if there are changes or symptoms that do not improve.
4. Lifestyle changes
Sometimes urinalysis results can provide indications of lifestyle-related health problems. For example, if glucose is detected in the urine, your doctor may recommend dietary and physical activity changes to manage diabetes or other metabolic disorders.
Places to Do Urine Tests
Urine tests are very common and can be done in clinics, hospitals, and laboratories. This action is certainly carried out and supervised by an experienced medical team and doctors.
You can also do this examination or other health checks using the Halodoc Home Lab service (available in Jabodetabek and Surabaya). Click the following image to find out more: