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A urinalysis is a test of your urine. It is often done to check for a urinary tract infections, kidney problems, or diabetes. You may also have one during a checkup, if you are admitted to the hospital, before you have surgery, or if you are pregnant. It can also monitor some medical conditions and treatments.

A urinalysis involves checking the urine for:

• Its color
• Its appearance (whether it is clear or cloudy)
• Any odor
• The pH level (acidity)
• Whether there are substances that are not normally in urine, such as blood, too much protein, glucose, ketones, and bilirubin
• Whether there are cells, crystals, and casts (tube-shaped proteins)
• Whether it contains bacteria or other germs

The bladder is a hollow organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Many conditions can affect your bladder. Some common ones are:

• Cystitis - inflammation of the bladder, often from an infection
• Urinary incontinence - loss of bladder control
• Overactive bladder - a condition in which the bladder squeezes urine out at the wrong time
• Interstitial cystitis - a chronic problem that causes bladder pain and frequent, urgent urination
• Bladder cancer

Doctors diagnose bladder diseases using different tests. These include urine tests, x-rays, and an examination of the bladder wall with a scope called a cystoscope. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. It may include medicines and, in severe cases, surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Bleeding is the loss of blood. It can be external, or outside the body, like when you get a cut or wound. It can also be internal, or inside the body, like when you have an injury to an internal organ. Some bleeding, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, coughing up blood, or vaginal bleeding, can be a symptom of a disease.

Normally, when you are injured and start bleeding, a blood clot forms to stop the bleeding quickly. Afterwards, the clot dissolves naturally. To be able to make a clot, your blood needs blood proteins called clotting factors and a type of blood cell called platelets. Some people have a problem with clotting, due to another medical condition or an inherited disease. There are two types of problems:

• Your blood may not form clots normally, known as a bleeding disorder. This happens when your body does not make enough platelets or clotting factors, or they don't work the way they should.
• Your blood may make too many clots, or the clots may not dissolve properly

Sometimes bleeding can cause other problems. A bruise is bleeding under the skin. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. Severe bleeding may require first aid or a trip to the emergency room.

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. They are near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Inside each kidney there are about a million tiny structures called nephrons. They filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. The urine flows through tubes called ureters. It goes to your bladder, which stores the urine until you go to the bathroom.

Most kidney diseases attack the nephrons. This damage may leave kidneys unable to remove wastes. Causes can include genetic problems, injuries, or medicines. You have a higher risk of kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a close family member with kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease damages the nephrons slowly over several years. Other kidney problems include:

• Cancer
• Cysts
• Stones
• Infections

Your doctor can do blood and urine tests to check if you have kidney disease. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney from substances in the urine. It may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pearl. Most kidney stones pass out of the body without help from a doctor. But sometimes a stone will not go away. It may get stuck in the urinary tract, block the flow of urine and cause great pain.

The following may be signs of kidney stones that need a doctor's help:

• Extreme pain in your back or side that will not go away
• Blood in your urine
• Fever and chills
• Vomiting
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
• A burning feeling when you urinate

Your doctor will diagnose a kidney stone with urine, blood, and imaging tests.

If you have a stone that won't pass on its own, you may need treatment. It can be done with shock waves; with a scope inserted through the tube that carries urine out of the body, called the urethra; or with surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The urinary system is the body's drainage system for removing wastes and extra water. It includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body.

You may have a UTI if you notice:

• Pain or burning when you urinate
• Fever, tiredness, or shakiness
• An urge to urinate often
• Pressure in your lower belly
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or reddish
• Pain in your back or side below the ribs

People of any age or sex can get UTIs. But about four times as many women get UTIs as men. You're also at higher risk if you have diabetes, need a tube to drain your bladder, or have a spinal cord injury.

If you think you have a UTI it is important to see your doctor. Your doctor can tell if you have a UTI with a urine test. Treatment is with antibiotics.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases