Urinalysis
Also written as: UA, Urine dipstick
A broad check of urine for protein, blood, glucose, cells, and signs of infection.
What it measures
A set of checks on a urine sample rather than a single number. It typically includes appearance and concentration, chemical strips for protein, glucose (sugar), blood, and infection markers, and sometimes a microscope exam for cells, bacteria, and crystals.
Why a doctor orders it
A common first-look test during checkups, before surgery, in pregnancy, or when there are urinary symptoms such as burning, urgency, or a change in urine appearance. It gives a broad snapshot of the kidneys, bladder, and general metabolism.
What is generally associated with a higher result
Positive findings such as protein, blood, white cells, or glucose are broadly associated with kidney, bladder, or metabolic conditions. The same findings are also commonly produced by menstruation, vigorous exercise, contamination during collection, and concentrated urine.
What is generally associated with a lower result
A urinalysis is not graded high or low as a whole. A sample with no positive findings is the expected result.
Everyday things that move this number
Not every shift in a value reflects disease. These are ordinary factors known to affect this particular measurement:
- Menstruation, which can add blood to the sample
- Vigorous exercise in the day or two before
- Dehydration, which concentrates the urine
- Contamination from skin during collection, or a sample left sitting before testing
- Vitamin C supplements, which can interfere with some strip results
Questions to take to your appointment
- Which specific finding on the urinalysis needs follow-up, if any?
- Could menstruation, exercise, or how the sample was collected explain a finding?
- Would a first-morning, clean-catch sample give a cleaner picture?
Build a printable questionnaire with your own results →
Where to read more
MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, publishes patient-facing pages on individual lab tests and is a reliable next stop: medlineplus.gov/lab-tests .
Support this site
This site is free, has no paywall, and takes no money from hospitals, insurers, or billing companies. If it helped, a coffee keeps it going.
Buy us a coffee