The best urine test to do at home and detect a urinary tract infection is performed with a strip that you can buy at the pharmacy and soak in a small amount of urine made in a clean container such as a plastic cup, for example.
This urine test is very simple and can be done at any time of the day, with the result appearing in a few minutes, indicating or not the presence of a urinary infection. And, if the result is positive, you should go to the urologist or gynecologist to confirm the diagnosis, with a laboratory test that is more specific, identifying the bacteria present in the urine and, thus, starting the most appropriate treatment, which usually includes the use of antibiotics.
This home test is quick and simple, and the changes in urine detected help to confirm the suspicion of urinary tract infection to start treatment early and avoid complications, especially for people who suffer from many urinary tract infections. Therefore, find out what are the symptoms that may indicate a urinary tract infection at: Symptoms of urinary tract infection.
How to do the pharmacy urine test
To perform the urine test with a reagent strip you must:
- Make a small amount of urine in a clean container, such as a plastic cup; Dip a strip in the urine that is in the cup for about 1 second and remove it immediately; Place the strip that is moistened with urine on the glass or on a clean paper and wait about 2 minutes to read the results; compare the colors that appear on the strip with those that appear on the test package.
However, before carrying out the urine test at home, it is important to read the instructions that are on the packaging, as the indications may vary with the brand of the test purchased, especially the time to wait until reading the results.
In addition, it is important to wash the intimate area with water and discard the first stream of urine, and only then collect the remaining urine into the container, which in the end should be thrown in the trash.
Understanding test results
The urine test package has small colored squares that identify some elements that may appear in urination, such as blood, for example, and in the event of a urinary infection, some of these components change color in relation to the standard color.
When you have a urinary infection it is normal for the square corresponding to leukocytes, nitrites, blood and ph to be different from the standard color, however, it does not mean that there is a change in all items at the same time. In addition, the stronger the color, the more severe the infection.
However, in case the color change appears only on the sides of the squares or the reading is made after the indicated time, which is usually more than 2 minutes, the results may be altered and, therefore, are not reliable.
What to do if the results have changed
If it is found that the color of these items is stronger, you should go to the doctor to confirm the infection, which is done through a laboratory urine test. Read more at: Urinalysis.
If the infection is confirmed, the doctor indicates that the treatment, which in most cases is carried out with the use of antibiotics, such as Sulfametoxazol and Trimetropim, in addition to drinking a lot of water throughout the day.
See how to fight urine infection naturally in the following video:
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Know the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection in pregnancy
