Urinalysis using dipsticks

A urine dipstick test can look for the following:

• pH or the level of acid in urine can be measured. Some types of kidney stones are more prone to develop in alkaline urine and others are more likely to from in acidic urine. Monitoring the urine pH may be helpful in preventing the formation of kidney stones.

• Blood is not normally found in urine and may be an indication of infection. This can also be due to significant underlying disease such as cancer in the bladder or kidney and prostate gland in men. In women, it may only be contamination if you are on your period at the time of doing the sample.

• Protein is normally found in the urine in tiny amounts but these tiny amounts aren't usually picked up on a urine dipstick test. Protein however, may be found in larger amounts if there is an infection or if you're pregnant and are developing pre-eclampsia. This can also be the first sign of kidney problem.

• Glucose is a type of sugar that is never normally found in urine. If so, this may be a first sign of diabetes.

• Ketones are chemicals made by the body when it’s breaking down fat for energy, this is what normally happens when we are starving and have used up all, or nearly all of our stored sugar. However, ketones are not usually found in urine, and are present when your diabetes is out of control and the levels of sugar in the blood are very high.

• Bilirubin and Urobilinogen are chemicals produced by the liver and are not normally found in the urine. But if bilirubin is found in the urine it usually indicates a liver problem. While small amounts of urobilinogen is normal, large amounts may also suggest a liver problem or problem with the red blood cells being destroyed too quickly.

• Leukocyte esterase and Nitrite are both indicators for the presence of infection. Leukocyte esterase test looks for a reaction that only happens if there are lots of white cells in the urine because white cells get into the urine when there is an infection. Nitrite is not normally found in the urine but will appear there if there are lots of germs or bacteria in the urine.

• Specific Gravity or the comparison in density of urine to the density of water. This quick test can help determine how well your kidneys are diluting your urine. Urine that's too concentrated could mean that your kidneys aren't functioning properly or that you aren't drinking enough water.

Liver Health Check and Kidney Health Check

The Liver and Kidneys carry out numerous functions such as excretion of waste, metabolism of many substances, hormonal regulation, and proper digestion, as well as proper coagulation.

Over time, conditions that damage the liver can lead to scarring (cirrhosis), which can lead to liver problems and can be life-threatening. But early treatment may give the liver time to heal.

Likewise, some kidney problems can be early signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the type of kidney damage that can get worse over time and lead to kidney problems or even kidney failure. Finding and treating these problems early can help prevent CKD from becoming kidney failure. Other kidney problems can lead to CKD if they are not treated. Hence, doing a simple regular examination of your urine may be key to earlier detection of liver and kidney problems.