Inflammation (CRP) Test
An easy way to test your levels of inflammation
Without testing, inflammation may damage your body and cause your health to deteriorate without you realising it.
Identify markers that may indicate a risk of strokes, heart disease, infections and other chronic illnesses.
All it takes is a quick blood test, performed by an expert staff member through a simple finger prick sample. The sample will be transported to a laboratory and results will be available within five days.
We are here to give you peace of mind. Trust us to help remove health-related uncertainty.
. The test focuses on the most essential of the inflammation markers: high sensitivity CRP.
. Results are delivered to hospital standards and can be easily understood thanks to the traffic light system.
. You will also receive related advice on how to improve your lifestyle.
. This guidance will allow you to improve your overall health.
. Customers who are pregnant, breastfeeding or under the age of 18 should not take this test.
Use our inflammation (CRP) test to optimise your health
Firstly, you need to understand how inflammation may be affecting your health, then you can put in place some basic measures to lower that inflammation level.
Inflammation is often associated with a physical injury or response, such as after a cut, bite or allergic reaction. These can all cause a general feeling of ill health – they may itch as well as or instead of being painful, and they can cause redness and swelling. In other cases, particularly when it is chronic or long-lasting, inflammation may not leave any visible mark. Instead, any harm or deterioration takes place where you cannot see.
Invisible, chronic inflammation may spread throughout the body. It is often linked to an infection or other significant medical condition. You may experience cardiovascular damage to your heart and blood vessels even if you do not have other risk factors such as high cholesterol.
The inflammation CRP test
It may not be visible, but chronic inflammation can be measured and monitored with the help of an inflammation (CRP) test. High CRP does not indicate a particular disease, but does suggest inflammation. You can then decide whether you need to modify your lifestyle or seek further medical advice.
Our finger-prick blood test can be carried out swiftly and easily in our pharmacy. It only takes five days to receive the results, and you will also be given guidance on follow-up steps if your inflammation is too high, such as making an appointment with your doctor or modifying your lifestyle.
Advice on changing your lifestyle is part of this testing process.
Testing your CRP is just the first stage of improving your health. You also need to follow the accompanying recommendations. You can also use the CRP test for ongoing monitoring of your changing inflammation levels.
By taking the test, then following up with lifestyle changes and more, you can improve your overall quality of life.
Information
What is CRP?
CRP is an acronym for C-reactive protein, a substance released by your liver when inflammation is high. This may be a response to an illness or injury and often occurs before more easily detected symptoms such as fever or pain. This makes an elevated CRP level one of the earliest ways you can detect infections and other diseases. If you are at risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, your liver may continue to produce high levels of CRP on an ongoing basis. The CRP blood test does not just detect your current CRP levels, it can also identify markers that warn of other health conditions that may not yet have manifested symptoms.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is part of the immune system’s response to external invaders such as bacteria and viruses. It is meant to protect you and help you heal. Various chemicals are released whenever the body detects something harmful. These chemicals counteract toxins and other threats. Even without invading threats, some conditions that are entirely internal, including certain types of arthritis, may activate this immune response.
There are different types of inflammation. The most obvious is when the area around an injury becomes red and swollen. It may be painful or itchy. In other cases, your joints may ache. What is less obvious is when there is internal inflammation. This can impact different parts of the body without ever being visible from the outside.
What causes inflammation?
When your immune system detects a foreign substance, such as an infection or an insect bite, “invading” your body, inflammation is often part of its response. The threat is identified, chemicals are released to remove or destroy the foreign invader, and the body has a chance to recover.
In some cases, the immune system reacts as though it detects an external threat, even though there is no invasion by a foreign body. Instead, it attacks healthy cells. This is the category of diseases known as autoimmune disorders.
Examples of inflammatory conditions include:
. Rheumatoid arthritis
. Lupus
. Asthma
. Cardiovascular disease
. Some cancers
Why do I need a CRP test?
There are several circumstances where it may be wise to test your C-reactive protein. For instance, you may have a family history of inflammatory conditions such as cardiovascular disease. In these cases, you may want to monitor your health to ensure you are not experiencing heightened inflammation that could increase your risk.
Testing your CRP allows you to continuously monitor your inflammation levels, which is important when you have a chronic condition that can exacerbate inflammation, such as lupus. You may also want to know how your risk of developing a condition such as heart disease changes.
A blood test is not the same as a full consultation with a doctor or other medical professional. If you have concerning symptoms or other health issues, make an appointment with your GP first.
