What the urine says about health

Color and content of urine important medical indicators

24/01/2012

Almost everyone gives several urine samples to the doctor during his lifetime. Urinalysis has always been an indispensable method in medical diagnostics to detect or monitor disease progression. But what does the urine say exactly about the state of health? And how can one already recognize signs of possible health problems in a private environment based on their nature? Dr. Reinhold Schaefer from urologist network Uro-GmbH North Rhine explains what the quality of the urine says and when a visit to the doctor is indicated.

„In certain diseases, decomposition products of various proteins in the body accumulate in the urine, which can be used to diagnose such diseases even before the first symptoms appear“, explains Dr. Shepherd. These include not only disorders of the kidney and urinary system, but also diabetes or liver diseases. Even the color and amount of urine often give the first indications that something is wrong. If someone excretes very little and very dark urine, this may indicate a disorder of the kidneys or liver. Cloudy and flaky urine often indicates a urinary tract infection. Reddish urinary exudates suggest blood in the urine and thus possibly for kidney or ureteral stones or other, more serious diseases of the urinary tract. Colorless urine, on the other hand, indicates a high level of dilution and, in combination with increased thirst and inexplicable weight loss, may be a sign of diabetes. Healthy urine, in contrast, looks clear and amber. „However, self-diagnosis should always be considered as a precaution, as reddening discoloration and other changes may occur even after eating certain foods or taking some medications“, emphasizes Shepherd. In order to gain security and to get to the bottom of the causes, it is therefore advisable to go to the urologist.

Urine rapid test can detect diseases
A quick test can be used to draw conclusions about various diseases. Discolouration on a test strip indicates whether certain substances such as protein, glucose, nitrite, billirubin, ketones or blood cells are present in the urine and indicates the pH acid value. In order to further investigate the substances determined in this standard procedure, if necessary, urologists use more specific evidence in a microscopic laboratory analysis. In this way, the specialist determines, for example, the exact amount of the substances contained and then initiates appropriate therapeutic measures „There are now special urine tests that detect indicators of bladder or prostate cancer and significantly improve their early detection“, reports Shepherd. Even if urologists do not yet use these test procedures on a large scale, medical specialists see it as an important diagnostic intermediate step before an eventual surgery. Basically, only a thorough urological examination provides reliable information about the state of health. (Pm)

Picture: Michael Ottersbach