Urine test

Reviewed by Dr John Pillinger, GP

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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