When you visit your doctor for a medical problem or even for a routine physical
, it's not uncommon to be asked to provide a urine sample for a urinalysis exam.

When your doctor does a urinalysis exam, he or she is checking a variety of different parameters that can indicate not only whether your kidneys are functioning properly but whether you have a urinary tract infection or even diabetes. A simple sample of urine tested with a special dipstick in the lab can provide a wealth of information as to your health status. Have you ever wondered what all that information means? Here are some of the components that make up the urinalysis and what they mean.

Protein

In most cases, it's not normal to have protein in your urine. Occasionally, a trace amount of protein can be found in the urine after intense exercise, but, otherwise, the presence of protein raises a red flag. Large amounts of protein in the urine can indicate the presence of undiagnosed kidney disease. To further quantitate the amount of protein, your doctor may ask to do a twenty-four hour urine collection. He may also want to check blood tests to get a better idea if your kidneys are functioning properly.

Glucose

Normal urine usually contains no glucose. If glucose is present in a urinalysis exam, it raises the suspicion for diabetes. This can be confirmed by checking fasting blood glucose levels. Sometimes ketone bodies can also be found in the urine when there is underlying diabetes.

Blood

Blood is another component not usually found on a normal urinalysis exam. If it's present, it can indicate a variety of problems including a urinary tract infection, kidney stones, or a bladder or kidney tumor.

Bilirubin

Bilirubin is a pigment that's yellow-orange in appearance produced when the liver breaks down red blood cells. When this pigment is present in urine, it may indicate undiagnosed liver or gallbladder disease. Your doctor will likely recommend further blood tests to rule out liver and gallbladder disorders.

Nitrate and leukocyte esterase

When these are positive, it usually indicates the presence of a urinary tract infection. If this is the case, white blood cells may also be found in the urine. The combination of white blood cells, red blood cells, nitrate, and leukocyte esterase almost always indicates a urinary tract infection involving the kidneys or bladder.

As you can see, a urinalysis exam is a simple test that can reveal a great deal of information about your health which is why it's not surprising it's done so often when you see your doctor. Now, you'll know exactly what the doctor means when he says your urine is negative for bilirubin.