Top 5 diseases that you can detect from a simple urine test

Since the beginning of civilization, physicians have recognized the connection between diseases and urine. One of the simplest and most basic ways to assess your health is to take a urine test. Three types of urine tests are commonly performed: urine protein test, urine culture test, and urine examination. Your urine sample is examined visually, dipstick-tested, and microscopically during a urinalysis.

I) Visual exam: Urine is typically clear.

• Cloudiness or an unusual odour can indicate a problem, such as an infection.
• The presence of protein in urine can cause it to look foamy.
• It may appear reddish or brown when it contains blood.

What you’ve just eaten can affect urine color, as can certain drugs you’re taking. For example, beets or rhubarb might tint your urine red.

II) Dipstick test: A dipstick — a thin, plastic stick with strips of chemicals on it — is placed in the urine. The chemical strips change colour if certain substances are present or if their levels are above typical levels. A dipstick test checks for:

• Acidity (pH). The pH level indicates the amount of acid in urine. The pH level might indicate a kidney or urinary tract disorder.
• Concentration. A measure of concentration shows how concentrated the particles are in your urine. A higher-than-normal concentration often is a result of not drinking enough fluids.
• Protein. Low levels of protein in urine are typical. Small increases in protein in urine usually aren’t a cause for concern, but larger amounts might indicate a kidney problem.
• Sugar. The amount of sugar (glucose) in urine is typically too low to be detected. Any detection of sugar on this test usually calls for follow-up testing for diabetes.
• Ketones. As with sugar, any amount of ketones detected in your urine could be a sign of diabetes and requires follow-up testing.
• Bilirubin. Bilirubin is a product of red blood cell breakdown. Usually, bilirubin is carried in the blood and passes into your liver, where it’s removed and becomes part of the bile. Bilirubin in your urine might indicate liver damage or disease.
• Evidence of infection. Either nitrites or leukocyte esterase — a product of white blood cells — in your urine might indicate a urinary tract infection.
• Blood. Blood in your urine requires additional testing. It may be a sign of kidney damage, infection, kidney or bladder stones, kidney or bladder cancer, or blood disorders.

III) Microscopic exam: Sometimes performed as part of a urinalysis, this test involves viewing drops of concentrated urine — urine that’s been spun in a machine — under a microscope. If any of the following levels are above average, you might need more tests:

• White blood cells (leukocytes) might be a sign of an infection.
• Red blood cells (erythrocytes) might be a sign of kidney disease, a blood disorder, or another underlying medical condition, such as bladder cancer.
• Bacteria, yeast, or parasites can indicate an infection.
• Casts — tube-shaped proteins — can be a result of kidney disorders.
• Crystals that form from chemicals in urine might be a sign of kidney stones.

This blog talks about the top 5 diseases you can detect by doing a urine test and how it can help you diagnose the disease.

• Urine Test To Detect Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common in both men and women. It’s a myth that UTIs are only a problem for women, but that’s not true. UTIs affect about 8% of men and 40% of women. Symptoms include burning during urination, especially during sexual activity, painful urination, blood, or strong-smelling urine.
• Urine Test For Kidney Function: Microalbuminuria is a condition characterized by the presence of increased levels of albumin in the urine. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a precursor to diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. In the first few years after the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, microalbuminuria testing should be performed more frequently. An important test in the prevention of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is the Microalbumin: Creatinine ratio.
• Test For Cancer Screening and Diagnosis: The urine test can help detect 3 types of cancer — bladder, ureter, and kidney. Blood in the urine is a strong indicator of some disease in the body, either a Urinary Tract Infection, Kidney stone, or even in some cases cancer.
• Test for the cause of High Blood Pressure: Testing for catecholamines in urine can help identify cases where there is high blood pressure due to excess production of hormones or their metabolites like metanephrine and normetanephrine. This can be seen in conditions like Pheochromocytoma, where a tumour in the adrenal gland leads to excessive production of adrenaline and/or noradrenaline and a subsequent increase in blood pressure
• Test for Sexually Transmitted Diseases: A routine urine test can reveal the presence of organisms that cause sexually transmitted diseases like Trichomoniasis

At-home testing may be ideal for early detection, especially in people who have a hard time leaving their homes or who don’t have medical insurance. The Neodocs Kidney Care Test kit and Neodocs Elderly Kit combine at-home urine testing over a smartphone app.