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Sample type needed |
Urine |
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Incubation period |
Test dependent |
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Who is this test suitable for? |
Men and Women |
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Results time |
Test dependent but generally within 1-3 days from when your sample is received in the lab |
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Treatment |
Most infections and disorders can be treated effectively |
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Where can I get tested? |
All Better2Know centres |
What is Urine Testing?
Urine testing involves performing tests on your urine. Urine is normally sterile, meaning is should not contain any bacteria but sometimes when you have an illness, bacteria can appear in your urine. By testing your urine to see if there are any bacteria in it a diagnosis can be made.
Many infections including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma and Trichomonas can be detected in a urine sample. Thus urine is an excellent sample type to test for these particular infections.
Urine can also be tested for many different chemicals which your body is eliminating through your urine. This makes urine a good indicator of other conditions, as certain chemicals are associated with certain diseases and conditions. Proteins, Sugars, Nitrites, Ketones and Bilirubin should not be found in urine but if they are, can be indicators of infection, illness or other more serious conditions.
How do I know if I have a problem?
Urine is generally a pale-yellow color with little to no odour. It is normal to empty your bladder up to 8 times per day and once or less at night. Normal volume per voiding is around 300 to 400 milliliters.
The frequency and volume of voiding will depend on how much you drink, activity levels, age and other factors so the above figures are just a guide. However, if you notice any significant changes to the volume, colour or frequency of your urine then you should consider getting a urine test.
If there are symptoms, in men and women, they may include:
- Dark, bloody or cloudy urine
- Strong smelling urine
- Strong and frequent urge to urinate
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Impaired bladder and bowel function
- Fever / Chills
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Abdominal pain
- Weakness
- Back pain.
Did you know? …
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) generally start with bacteria multiplying in the urethra, the tube that caries urine out of the body from the bladder. An infection here is called Urethritis. If the infection develops into the bladder, this is called cystitis. If the infection moves from the bladder to the kidneys, it is called pyelonephritis.
How can I get urine infections?
Women are somewhat more likely to contract a urinary tract infection than men are. This may be due to the fact a woman’s urethra is shorter than a man’s so any bacteria can reach the bladder more quickly. It may also be because the urethral opening on a woman is closer to the vaginal and anal openings where there are more bacteria to cause an infection.
Sexual intercourse has also been shown to increase the risk of UTIs but again, it is not exactly clear why this might be. Men can also get UTIs and these are often caused by diabetes, kidney stones, prostate problems or other health conditions that might affect the immune system. Apart from these factors, age seems to be the greatest contributing factor in UTIs in men.
Sexual intercourse is the main way that STIs get passed from person to person and these infections usually are located in the urinary tract. Infections such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma are common and can all give rise to symptoms such as those described above. However, it is important to remember that often there will be no symptoms. If you think you might have caught an infection, the only way to know for sure is to get tested.
What happens if I do not get a urine test?
If you think you have a urinary tract infection, it is important to get a urine test and get treatment if an infection is confirmed. UTIs do not generally go away on their own and need appropriate antibiotics to cure them. If left untreated, a urinary tract infection can develop into a serious condition requiring urgent medical intervention.
How do I get tested?
Urine testing is quick, easy and fast. All you need to do is provide a small sample of urine in a container that our clinician will provide you with. It is important to catch the first part of the urine stream in the container as this is the sample that should contain the highest concentration of bacteria if you do have any infection.
Our fully accredited laboratory will process your sample quickly and we will have your test results back in only a few days. Better2Know will arrange any treatment or referral you need should any of your tests come back as positive.