White Blood Cells in Urine

Finding white blood cells in urine is not common and is usually a sign that something is wrong with the body. Should this occur, individuals would be exposed to a battery of tests to find out exactly why white blood cells are present in the urine that is usually sterile.

Detection of white blood cells in urine can be done through two different methods. The first one is by peeking through the microscope and the other is by using an indicator strip. Either way, both are done in laboratories and are very accurate indicators of the presence of white bcs in a person's urine.

How they get there, however, is another matter. Following are some of the known causes for the presence of white blood cells in the urine.

Urinary Tract Infection
This is actually the most common and also the easiest to treat. The urinary tract encompasses three organs - the bladder, the kidneys and the urethra. As most people know, some of the sign of a UTI include fever, vomiting and painful yet frequent urination. Usually, it is easy to diagnose the presence of UTI because the urine not only contains WBC but also nitrites. This kind of infection usually occurs if bacteria enter the urethra, which could happen during sexual intercourse.

Kidney Disease
A kidney disease is also a big possibility when the white blood cell is present in the urine. At the same time, red bcs and protein would also be present in the liquid. The presence of kidney stones is also a known culprit as these stones block the pathway of the urine. In some cases, the blockage is not made by kidney stones but a tumor in the said organs.

A kidney problem leading to WBC in the urine is not usually felt by the person having it unless the problem is already advanced. Hence, the urinalysis is actually a good indicator of a kidney problem so that people can resolve the disease before it becomes worse.

Bladder Infection
Aside from the presence of WBC in the urine, people with a bladder infection will notice that their urine is very cloudy. This usually happens if a person has any blockage in their bladder, causing the WBC to accumulate in the organ. Pregnant women are also prone to infections that may lead to the presence of white blood cells in their urine.

Of course, there are some cases when white blood cells in urine do not pose a large threat to a person's health. The urine could have been contaminated by WBC from the vagina, in which case obstructions or kidney diseases are not to be blamed.

The presence of white bcs in urine is more of a symptom than the actual cause of the problem. This is why submitting to a routine urinalysis is a good way to prevent problems even before they become too serious. Of course, the amount of white blood cells as well as how often they appear in the urine could also be indicators of an underlying problem.