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A urinalysis is a medical test that evaluates a urine sample in three ways: visual exam, dipstick test, microscopic exam. During visual exam, the urine’s appearance is evaluated for cloudiness, unusual odor, foaminess, and color.
A dipstick test involves using a thin plastic stick with strips of chemicals to detect the substances in the urine, such as acidity, concentration, protein, sugar, ketones, bilirubin, infection, and blood.
The microscopic exam involves viewing drops of concentrated urine under a microscope and looking for white blood cells, red blood cells, bacteria, yeast, parasite, cast, or crystals.
Although urinalysis alone cannot provide a definite diagnosis, it can help identify potential problems and the results can help determine if additional testing is necessary. If you receive unusual results, it is important to follow up with your healthcare provider.
