Diabetes Urine Test – What First Timers Need to Know

Characterized by an increase in a person’s blood sugar level, diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the world, with 1 in 11 adults suffering from it. The disease gets more complicated due to the long list of health and wellness issues that often accompany it. These include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Heart diseases  
• Eye complications
• Renal failure
• Dental diseases
• Nerve damage
• Skin disorders

Also, many people who already have diabetes realize it too late. So the disease goes undetected for years before causing actual trouble. This is why it is important to consider the following telltale signs of the disease:

• Excessive thirst
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Frequent urination
• Increased hunger
• Unexplained fatigue
• Frequent infections

Not everyone with diabetes may have these symptoms; but for those who do, the best option is undergoing regular blood sugar level testing. If needed, diabetics also can change their lifestyle.

Apart from detecting high blood sugar levels, these tests also help monitor glucose levels.

The two main types of tests to detect high glucose are:

• Blood Glucose Tests
• Urine Glucose Tests

While both are equally popular, the urine glucose test has been, by and large, replaced by blood glucose monitoring. Even then, the former offers a few perks that can’t be ignored.

The Perks of Urine Glucose Testing:

1. Easy to conduct
2. Takes little time to process the results
3. The entire procedure is painless
4. More cost-effective compared to blood glucose monitoring

Things to Know before Buying Urine Glucose Monitoring Test

Sure enough, urine glucose tests trump blood glucose tests in several ways. But, it is imperative to have complete knowledge about them before bringing a testing kit home. Here are some points for a better perspective:

• It is difficult to determine glucose levels in urine samples. It is only when sugar levels in the blood exceed a certain range that the kidneys release excess sugar from the blood into the urine. This is when you know that you have high amounts of glucose.
• It is important to track the time when you want to perform urine glucose testing.    
• It also makes sense to obtain thorough know-how of the test first before performing it yourself.
• Instructions matter a lot and may vary, depending on the brand of the testing kit. You must follow these instructions to a T to get near-accurate results.
• Consult your physician before taking the tests as he/she will be able to guide you better. Inquire about the best time to conduct the test.

Conducting Urine Glucose Monitoring Test at Home

Once you have a better idea about urine glucose monitoring tests, the next (and obvious) step is to conduct the test at home. Here are the steps to follow:

• Prep for the test by drinking water or fluids. This will help you collect the required amount of urine sample.   
• Collect a small amount of urine in the container. Ideally, you need to collect the sample an hour after you last urinated. Do not collect the urine sample immediately after waking up.
• Apply the sample on the test strip or the dipstick available in the kit. This also can be done by dipping the strip in the sample.
• Read the result of the test as per the instructions given in the test kit.
• To read the result accurately, compare the color change on the strip with the color range shown on the test kit’s color chart.
• If you notice the color hasn’t changed, it means you don’t have traces of sugar in your urine and hence, in your blood.

As is the case with urine drug testing, there are a few exceptions to the rule when it comes to blood glucose monitoring:

• The test doesn’t reflect your blood glucose level during the testing time.  
• You can’t detect the exact level of sugar with this test.
• If the blood glucose level is normal or way too low, then the test may turn out to be negative in both cases.
• The result of the test often depends on the urine sample collected and may vary, depending on the fluid you consumed most recently.
• Other medications may interfere with the test results.

Conclusion

Living with diabetes can be tough when you don’t take the necessary measures or miss tracking your blood sugar levels. With the best urine glucose testing kits now available and the aforementioned points, monitoring your blood sugar levels shouldn’t be a problem, even if you are trying it for the first time in your life!