Urinalysis Available at AFC Urgent Care Downingtown

AFC Urgent Care Downingtown can provide urinalysis services with no appointment needed. Our experienced staff can assist you in seeing if testing is suitable for you and help keep your kidneys and other parts of your urinary tract system healthy.

What is urinalysis?

Urinalysis may sound like a fancy, obscure medical term, but it is what it sounds like Urine Analysis. Sometimes abbreviated as UA, it is a vital test that our staff and providers have available for diagnostic purposes. It can be processed at our on-site lab at our state of the urgent care facility. When a patient's urine is collected for testing at our urgent care center, our technicians will use a urine test strip to look for anything out of the ordinary or other abnormalities. Also known as a dipstick test, the strip will have up to ten chemical pads attached. The reaction these pads have to the urine will help determine the presence of diseases and other illnesses. These strips are much like those used to test water at home or in a pool for chemicals.

Urinalysis, however, does not end with just a strip test. Our staff will physically check and observe a urine sample. Some of the things they will look for include:

• Color
• Appearance
• Odor
• Content of urine

An unusual odor can be a sign that something is not right in the urinary tract system. High amounts of protein could indicate dehydration or kidney disease. Cloudy urine could be a clue that there is an infection. Findings gathered from a urinalysis may lead to further testing and evaluation to get definitive answers and narrow down the source of the problem.

Where are the things urinalysis shows, and what could they indicate?

A urinalysis can check many components of a patient's urine and provide information about their health. Providers can also use it to focus on a potential medical issue. A urine test can show many different things about someone's health!

Urine is the byproduct of healthy kidneys, and it contains various waste materials, fluids, and other things that pass from the blood to urine for disposal. A urinalysis will reflect a patient's drinking and eating habits, how much they exercise, and how well their kidneys function. As mentioned above, urine's color, odor, and appearance can tell our providers a lot. However, other things may appear in your urinalysis report for different reasons. They include:

Odor: Generally, healthy urine will have little, if any, odor. However, some medical issues and diseases can change the color and odor, making it pungent. For example, E. Coli will change the odor of urine.

Color: The color of urine can indicate overall diet and hydration, as well as indicate diseases. Certain medications can also impact the color.

Protein: Generally, there should not be any signs of protein in the urine. Protein in urine could indicate a medical problem, like kidney disease or pregnancy.

pH: As you may remember from High School chemistry classes, pH measures acidity and alkalinity, and a urine's pH is crucial. An abnormally high pH, alkaline urine can lead to kidney stones or indicate a UTI. Abnormally low pH and acidic urine can indicate diabetes or dietary issues. Medications and other medical treatments can impact pH and should also be monitored.

Appearance: Generally, normal urine should be clear. If it has a cloudy appearance, it could indicate the presence of blood, bacteria, mucus, crystals, or sperm.

Nitrites: A urinalysis will indicate a urinary tract infection when there is an abnormal result, looking at nitrate levels, which are the breakdown products of bacteria.

Glucose: Generally, glucose should not appear in urine. When found in urine, this type of sugar may indicate high blood sugar and a sign of uncontrolled diabetes.

Red or White Blood Cells -  Urine will be microscopically analyzed for signs of red or white blood cells. Their presence could indicate inflammation or diseases somewhere in the urinary tract system. Meanwhile, blood cells are usually an indication of a UTI.

Other Micorsopitc Components -  In addition to blood cells, a microscopic analysis will look for yeast cells, parasites, squamous cells, or casts (another sign of kidney disease) in a urine sample.

Why is urinalysis necessary for someone's health?

A test of a patient's urine may be needed and requested by a provider for a different number of reasons. Our providers often use urinalysis to look for medical problems like liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes. Urine is an effective way to get an overall picture of a patient's health and can also be used to check for the early signs of pregnancy.

A urine analysis may help track and monitor their condition if a patient is already diagnosed with a urinary tract disease (UTI) or some other kidney disease. Drug testing can be done using a urinalysis; however, screening for drugs is only part of a usual test if a patient specifically requests it.

How can I get a urinalysis at AFC Urgent Care Downingtown?

Urinalysis services are available at AFC Urgent Care Downingtown 7 days a week with no appointment needed. Our lab is open during our business hours to process urine samples. Note: Some tests require some time to process, so please call ahead if you plan on visiting in the evening to ensure enough time to process a urinalysis at our location. The cost of a urinalysis depends on a patient's insurance benefits and if it is requested by a provider for diagnostic purposes.

If you have questions about Urinalysis tests and their possible costs, please call our urgent care center at (610) 518-1060. We look forward to assisting you!