Uric Acid Test At Home: Monitoring for Health

Uric Acid Test at Home

This is a simple test done using blood or urine samples to measure uric acid levels, which is essentially a waste product. This waste product is produced from the breakdown of purines, chemicals the body receives from foods, beverages, and cells when they die. 

A uric acid test at home is used to determine whether it is being appropriately cleared from your body or not. In normal circumstances, most of this uric acid will dissolve in blood, reaching the kidneys where it will be filtered out. Then, this waste product will be removed through urine. If it is not removed correctly, it can create problems such as Gout. 

For uric acid testing at home in Jammu, book your test from O-Lab for the best prices and accurate reporting. 

Introduction

Uric acid is a metabolic byproduct. When our kidneys cannot filter it out properly due to any underlying problem or when the body produces too much uric acid, the levels of this waste product build up in our bodies. Everyone will not show any signs or symptoms when this happens. However, some people can have a type of arthritis called Gout, where uric acid accumulates around the joints as needle-shaped crystals. This will lead to inflammation, pain, swelling around joints, and damage in the long run. Other people may have kidney stones or even decreased kidney function or kidney failure in severe cases. The best way to avoid or treat this in time is to get yourself a Uric acid test at home. 

High uric acid is also called hyperuricemia. 

The High Uric Acid Test

This test requires no special preparation and can be done without any problem. A sample of blood is collected from the vein in your arm. Less frequently, uric acid may be measured from a urine sample, where you must order your urine in a particular container provided by the lab or hospital for 24 hours. The blood test procedure, on the other hand, only takes five minutes. Your doctor will guide you when a urine or blood test is needed. 

Most health checkups include a blood test for uric acid levels. 

You can continue taking most medicines and supplements before the test. You should talk to your doctor if certain supplements like vitamin B6 or medicine like aspirin must be skipped a day before the test. Never miss any treatment on your own.

When should you order a Uric test at home?

A doctor or another healthcare provider generally recommends a uric acid test as part of a routine checkup or when they suspect your uric acid levels to be high.

This test can be used:

• To diagnose Gout when you have the symptoms.
•  In patients with kidney stones.
•  In patients undergoing chemotherapy, cell death releases purines. Very high uric acid levels can damage the kidney. Earlier detection leads to early treatment.
•  To monitor treatment for high uric acid.
•  To see if you are at a high risk of developing uric acid stones.

What do the test results mean?

If uric acid levels are within the normal range, you don't need any intervention.

Low uric acid levels are not a cause of concern and are very uncommon. These may be found when getting other tests as they may be related to another problem.

High uric acid levels are also only sometimes a cause of concern. For most people, no treatment may be necessary when there are no symptoms or underlying disease. Lifestyle and dietary changes may be sufficient in these cases. 

For others, they may have symptoms related to:

1. Gout

Needles like uric acid crystals accumulate around joints like toes, ankles, and joints, with big toes most commonly affected. You may experience intense pain with this condition. 0Other than pain, like redness, swelling, and warmth, symptoms of inflammation may be present around the affected joints.

If you have these symptoms, order your uric acid test at home in Jammu immediately.

2. Kidney stones

These stones can be formed of different substances. The symptoms may be the same for uric acid stones. They can include flank pain, radiating pain from lower back to front, pain and burning while urinating, cloudy and smelly urine, increased urinary frequency, inability or difficulty passing urine, fever, chills, and other problems. You should see a doctor and get tested if you have any of these symptoms.

Very high uric acid in some cancers or with chemotherapy

In these cases, high uric acid levels need to be addressed before they can cause kidney damage.

What causes high uric acid levels?

• The body is making more uric acid than usual, which can also result from certain diseases, cancers, chemotherapy treatment, etc.
•  Kidneys cannot filter uric acid effectively, which can be due to specific genetic conditions, kidney diseases, etc.
•  Your diet is rich in foods with high purine levels when you consume a lot of processed food and drinks with high fructose corn syrup, red meats, some types of seafood, and a lot of alcohol.

When your uric acid levels are high, additional tests may be ordered to find out the underlying cause of such high levels. You may also be advised to take other tests to see if these high levels are causing any problems. 

Also Read: - Uric Acid in Females

Treatment

The treatment depends on the underlying cause of high uric acid levels, signs and symptoms, etc. 

You may be prescribed medicines to lower these levels. You may be given medication for kidney stones or Gout. Along with medications, specific lifestyle changes are needed, such as:

• Being physically active but choosing low-impact activities if you have Gout.
•  I am choosing low-fat dairy sources.
•  I am avoiding drinks and foods high in fructose.
•  We are limiting alcohol.
•  They are choosing low-purine foods. High-purine foods include red meats, organ meats, and seafood like sardines, tuna, mussels, etc.

If you need more information about getting a Uric acid test at home, you can contact us at OLAB. Our experts will be glad to help you out and answer your questions.