How long urine test results

Your doctor may also order a urinalysis if you experience symptoms such as: 1. Urinalyses are useful because they can often detect medical problems before additional symptoms arise. They are most often performed to monitor overall health, to diagnose a medical problem, or to monitor a medical condition, including: 2. Sometimes a sample is requested first thing in the morning, as more concentrated urine provides easier-to-read results. You do not have to do anything to prepare for a urinalysis, and you can eat and drink beforehand.

Inform your doctor if you take any medications or vitamins, as these can impact the results of a urinalysis. Occasionally, a clean sample may be obtained via urinary catheter. Getting a clean sample from a child may be difficult. Parents or the child can clean the skin surrounding the urinary opening. Visual Exam For the visual exam, the urine will be examined for its color and clarity. Dark urine, abnormal colors , blood in urine, cloudy urine, or foamy urine can indicate kidney problems, dehydration , or other medical problems.

Normal urine should range in color from clear to dark yellow. Dipstick Test Chemical testing usually involves inserting a thin strip of plastic known as a dipstick into the urine sample. Many urine pregnancy tests can be bought over the counter and used at home, but they can also be done by a doctor or nurse.

Tests done in a laboratory are more accurate than home test kits. Most pregnancy tests work by detecting a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin hCG in the urine. Most pregnancy tests can detect hCG in your urine on the first day that your period is due. Urine can be used to test for drugs. It can be done simply at the bedside or workplace or sports venue , or it can be very complicated testing done in a laboratory. The drugs most commonly tested for are alcohol , amphetamines , benzodiazepines, cannabis , cocaine and opioids like methadone.

Urine can also be tested for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. The tests need to be sent to a laboratory, and results usually take a few days. Men and women of any sexuality can have their urine tested for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. Read more on Know Pathology Know Healthcare website.

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that sit on either side of your spine, just below your rib cage. They are about the size of an adult fist. Their main role is to filter waste products from your body.

Read more on myDr website. In the microscopic exam, your doctor looks at drops of your urine under a microscope. They look for:. For the dipstick test, your doctor inserts a chemically treated plastic stick into your sample. The stick changes color based on the presence of certain substances. This can help your doctor look for:. High pH levels can indicate urinary tract or kidney issues.

And any presence of sugar can indicate diabetes. If you have no other symptoms of an underlying condition and a physical exam shows that your overall health is normal, your doctor may not require a follow-up. Your urine normally contains a negligible level of protein. Sometimes, protein levels in your urine can spike due to:. But abnormally high levels of protein in your urine can be a sign of underlying issues that can cause kidney disease, such as:.

Your doctor may order follow-up tests to identify any conditions causing abnormally high protein levels in your urine. If your urinalysis results come back abnormal, your doctor may require additional tests to determine the cause. These can include:. Leukocytes in the urine could be a sign that you have an infection or an obstruction in the urinary tract or bladder.

Learn more about white blood…. A urine pH level test analyzes the acidity or alkalinity of a urine sample. Discover why it's important, what a normal urine pH level is, how to…. To collect a urine sample you should: label a sterile, screw-top container with your name, date of birth and the date wash your hands start to pee and collect a sample of urine "mid-stream" in the container screw the lid of the container shut wash your hands thoroughly Follow any other instructions your doctor has given you.

What is a mid-stream urine sample? This reduces the risk of the sample being contaminated with bacteria from: your hands the skin around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body Storing a urine sample If you can't hand your urine sample in within 1 hour, you should put the container in a sealed plastic bag then store it in the fridge at around 4C.

What urine samples are used for? Urine tests are most commonly done to check: for infections — such as a urinary tract infection UTI or some sexually transmitted infections STIs such as chlamydia in men if you are passing any protein in your urine as a result of kidney damage — this is known as an ACR test Find out more about operations, tests and procedures.

Further information How should I collect and store a sample of poo stool sample?