Uric Acid Crystals in Urine: What do they indicate?

Uric acid crystals in urine are detected when bladder stones are formed in your body. Urine secretes a certain amount of salt, however whether the urine is acidic or alkaline determines how much salt is deposited.

A large number of crystals in the urine can often indicate kidney stones are at hand or that there is a dilemma with how the body is metabolising food. This is an indication or a symptom that something is wrong in the urinary system. The urinary system is made up of the kidney, bladder, ureters, and urethra.

How Can Uric Acid Crystals be Diagnosed?

A urinalysis is often used to determine whether you have uric acid crystals. Before this test, it is vital to tell a professional about any prescription drugs, supplements or over the counter medicine you're taking. 

For this, you will be asked to provide a urine sample. Doctors use a dipstick to test for components within the urine. Doctors examining your urine will look for any colour or cloudiness indicating infection. Interestingly, Doctors can actually use a microscope to see the formation of any crystals.

Modification in the diet and rapid change in urine concentration can be a cause of the crystals, however there are a number of other factors that could be the cause.

Possible causes of crystals in urine include:

Dehydration

A body that is dehydrated will allow a few materials in the urine to harden, resulting in the creation of crystals. Being deprived of sufficient water intake, causes the concentration of definite composites such as uric acid to radically increase. This leads to the uric acid crystals to develop in the urine. Dehydration or lack of moisture is one of the more frequent reasons of crystals, especially in infants.

Urine pH changes

When the pH rate of urine changes, crystals are prone to occur. Urine that is acidic has a pH value below 7, where pH level above 7 means the urine is too alkaline. Calcium oxalate crystals in urine can indicate that the urine is strongly acidic in nature. When the urine is too alkaline crystals of calcium phosphate are likely to form.

Urolithiasis

If crystals in the urine have been there for a substantial period of time, it can also indicate urolithiasis or bladder stones. There are normally no indications of bladder stones, as the small size of the stone is hardened crystalline material and hard to identify. When large crystals do get ensnared in the bladder there is constant pain in the abdominal area.

UTI or Urinary Tract Infections

Bacteria in Urinary Tract Infections can boost the pH value of urine, making it much more acidic. This change in pH causes crystal formations in the urine.

For fast recognition of a UTI, you can purchase our Tena U Test. The product provides easy in-pad detection of urinary tract infections. The U Test is specially designed for incontinent individuals with symptoms of a UTI.