Urinalysis Definition

A urinalysis is a chemical screening of urine for medical purposes. This is a common method for diagnosing any number of medical problems. Doctors will test urine for signs of infection, drug use, red blood cells, protein, glucose and many other medical disorders.

Why a Urinalysis is Performed

• A doctor will perform a urinalysis as part of a regular medical checkup. Some things a doctor will look for are early signs of disease, diabetes or kidney disorders.

Normal Urinalysis

• Urine can vary in color from almost clear to dark yellow. This is considered normal. Some fruits and vegetables affect the color and odor of urine.

When A Urinalysis is Done

• A urinalysis is almost always ordered upon admission to a hospital, to test for pregnancy and a pre-surgical medical evaluation. A doctor will most likely order a urinalysis if a patient complains of abdominal or back pain, urinates frequently, has blood in their urine or showing signs of an illness worsening or even improving.

How Results Are Interpreted

• A urine screening is rarely used for diagnosis, but rather as a warning that a condition should be further evaluated. The results do not reveal whether a problem is chronic or temporary. And a normal urinalysis also does not guarantee a clean bill of health. It is simply one step in the process of diagnosing a possible illness or infection.

Special Instructions

• To detect abnormalities, a doctor will ask for a urine sample early in the morning, after fasting for about eight hours. For the most effective screening, a urinalysis may be done on a female at a time when she is not menstruating. This is to avoid contamination.