Urine test: You need to know these points

Urine testing is a very common item in clinical tests. It is like a "barometer" of human health, which can help us understand the condition of the kidneys and urinary system, and can also assist in the diagnosis of diseases such as diabetes. However, if the urine is not collected in the right way, the test results may be "distorted". Please remember the following precautions for urine testing!

1. Preparation before urine retention

Diet

- 3 days before the test, avoid eating foods that may change the color of urine, such as red dragon fruit, beets, carrots, etc.

- High-protein foods (such as meat and fish) and high-purine foods (such as seafood and animal offal) may affect the test results of urine protein and uric acid, so the intake should be appropriately controlled.

- If you are conducting urine sugar or urine ketone test, it is best to fast for 8 hours before the test, that is, do not eat or drink water.

Drugs

- Vitamin C will interfere with the test results of urine occult blood and urine sugar, so stop taking it 24 hours before the test.

- Antibiotics, diuretics, antihypertensive drugs and other drugs may change the composition of urine. It is recommended to decide whether to stop taking the drug under the guidance of a doctor.

Cleaning work

- Before urinating, the vulva should be cleaned. Women should avoid leucorrhea, and men should turn back the foreskin for cleaning to prevent impurities from mixing into the urine.

2. The correct way to retain urine

Time to take

- Morning urine (the first urine after waking up in the morning) is the best choice because it is more concentrated and abnormalities are easier to detect.

- If it is an emergency or random test, you can collect urine at any time, but the time of collection must be noted.

Collect midstream urine

- First discharge part of the urine, and then use a clean container to collect the middle part of the urine. This can avoid contamination of urine by bacteria in the urethra.

Retention amount

- Generally, 10-20 ml of urine is sufficient. Too little may affect the test results.

Special groups of people should pay attention to

- Women should avoid the menstrual period, as menstrual blood may mix with urine, causing a false positive result for occult blood in urine.

- When infants and young children retain urine, special urine bags can be used and the urine should be sent for examination in a timely manner.

3. Notes on sending urine for testing

Timely inspection

- After the urine is collected, it must be sent to the laboratory within 1 hour. If it cannot be sent for testing in time, it must be refrigerated, but not for more than 24 hours.

- Do not expose urine to sunlight for a long time, otherwise the components in the urine will be decomposed.

Save correctly

- You can use the disposable urine cup provided by the hospital, or a clean sterilized container.

- The container for urine should be kept dry, without any residual moisture or mixing with other liquids.

4. Common Misunderstandings to Avoid

Myth 1: Drinking more water can make urine "healthy"

In fact, drinking a lot of water will dilute the urine and may mask some abnormal indicators, such as mild proteinuria.

Myth 2: Using a beverage bottle to store urine

Beverage bottles may contain chemicals that can contaminate urine and affect test results, so be sure to use a dedicated urine cup.

Myth 3: It’s OK to retain urine during menstruation

As mentioned earlier, menstrual blood will affect the test results of urine occult blood, so you should avoid retaining urine during your menstrual period.

Summarize

Urine testing may seem simple, but details are crucial. Only by collecting urine correctly can the test results accurately reflect our health status. Everyone must pay attention to these precautions and let urine testing truly become a "good helper" to protect our health!