Anyone can have protein in their urine. You may be more likely to have protein in your urine if you have one or more of the risk factors for kidney disease. There are health problems that can cause long-lasting protein in the urine, and some that can cause short-term protein in the urine. Health problems that may cause a short-term high level of protein in the urine include: Dehydration not having enough water in your body High stress Being in very cold temperatures Fever High-intensity physical activity.
When your kidneys have only mild damage and you have only small levels of protein in your urine, you will not notice any symptoms. When your kidneys have more severe damage and you have high levels of protein in your urine, you may start to notice symptoms such as:. The only way to know if you have protein in your urine is to have a urine test.
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While a small amount is normal, a large amount of protein in urine may indicate kidney disease. Other names: urine protein, hour urine protein; urine total protein; ratio; reagent strip urinalysis. A protein in urine test is often part of a urinalysis , a test that measures different cells, chemicals, and substances in your urine.
Urinalysis is often included as part of a routine exam. This test may also be used to look for or to monitor kidney disease. Your health care provider may have ordered a protein test as part of your regular checkup, or if you have symptoms of kidney disease. These symptoms include:. A protein in urine test can be done in the home as well as in a lab. If in a lab, you will receive instructions to provide a "clean catch" sample.
The clean catch method includes the following steps:. If at home, you will use a test kit. The kit will include a package of strips for testing and instructions on how to provide a clean catch sample. Talk to your health care provider if you have any questions. Your health care provider may also request you collect all your urine during a hour period. This "hour urine sample test" is used because the amounts of substances in urine, including protein, can vary throughout the day.
Collecting several samples in a day may provide a more accurate picture of your urine content. You don't need any special preparations to test for protein in urine.
When a person first begins to have kidney problems, they may not notice any symptoms. This is why a urine test can be essential to detect protein in the urine, which may indicate early signs of kidney disease. In addition to proteinuria, symptoms of kidney disease can include: 5.
If you are pregnant, protein in urine can also be a sign of preeclampsia, a very dangerous condition that can cause high blood pressure and lead to hospitalization. Additional signs of preeclampsia can include headaches, vision changes, abdominal pain , nausea, decreased urine output, and shortness of breath.
Testing for protein in urine is typically done via a test called a urinalysis. After your urine sample is collected, it is tested with a dipstick. When your urine has large amounts of protein, the strip of paper will change color. Technicians may also examine the sample via microscope. If a urinalysis detects protein in the urine, your doctor will likely order an additional urine test or tests to determine if you have kidney disease.
Your doctor may also conduct blood tests to measure your glomerular filtration rate GFR , which can tell them how well your kidneys are filtering out waste, as well as other blood tests if needed to help identify the cause of the proteinuria. Additional tests may include an ultrasound , CT scan , or kidney biopsy. When your urine is tested for protein, the test compares the amounts of albumin and creatinine, an amino acid , in your urine. Though a simple dipstick urine test can detect large amounts of protein, a chemical analysis must be performed to detect smaller amounts known as microalbuminuria.
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