#1.Important Test For A Wide Range Of Disorders
The number one important test for a wide range of disorders is the Urinalysis screening. This test is a general screening test used to check for early signs of diseases and it’s usually the first lab test performed when you walk into a lab with unclear symptoms.
A urinalysis is a test of urine. It is used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections(UTIs), kidney disease, and diabetes. A urinalysis usually involves checking the appearance, the concentration as well as the content of urine.
How Does an Urinalysis Work?
There are three different ways to analyze urine, and your test might use all of them.
The first one is a visual exam, which checks the color and clarity of your urine.
If your urine has blood in it, it might be red or dark brown. Blood in your urine might be a result of a bacteria that has made its way into your body, through the urethra, and has multiplied in your bladder. As serious as this might sound, this can easily be fixed so the moment you notice blood in your urine, you should seek medical attention.
Another abnormality in your urine can be foam, which is often a sign of kidney disease. Cloudy urine could also indicate the presence of an infection, so these abnormalities shouldn’t be ignored or taken lightly.
The second way to analyze urine is through a microscopic exam.
A microscopic exam checks for things too small to be seen with the naked eye. Some of the things that shouldn’t be in your urine that a microscope can find include:
-Red blood cells
Recommended by LinkedIn
-White blood cells
-Bacteria
-Crystals (clumps of minerals, a possible sign of kidney stones)
A microscopic test is very effective as it can detect that which a visual test cannot.
The third part of urinalysis is the dipstick test.
This test requires the use of a thin plastic strip treated with chemicals. This strip is dipped into your urine, and the chemicals on the stick react and change color if levels are above normal. Some of the things the dipstick test can check for include:
For a more conclusive result, all three methods can be employed.
Oftentimes, people confuse urinalysis with urine culture test but it is important to note that urine culture involves growing bacteria from a urine sample in a lab to diagnose urinary tract infections and other infections. And so, urine cultures are not part of routine urinalysis tests.