Sarah’s surgery Dr Sarah Brewer looks at home testing kits
5 HOME TESTS WORTH TRYING
The global pandemic has made us more aware of our health yet, at the same time, more reluctant to seek medical care. While it’s important not to put off contacting your GP for advice about persistent symptoms, an increasing number of home tests are available to help screen for common health problems. While some tests give instant results, most must be sent away in the post for laboratory analysis. Are these home tests a good option? There are certainly lots of different tests available, but these are the ones I think are helpful, as they provide accurate results, expert advice, and shouldn’t cause unnecessary worry.
URINARY INFECTIONS
Urinary tract infections are common, with half of all women in the UK experiencing at least one during their lifetime. Typical symptoms include frequent painful urination and unpleasant smelling urine, which may be cloudy or blood-stained.
TESTCARD URINE SELF-TEST KIT
Testcard is a home testing kit for
UTIS that provides immediate results. £12 for two testing strips; testcard.com
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Testcard is a urine test kit embedded into a strip to dip into your urine. An accompanying smartphone app turns the phone’s camera
Just how useful is a screening test you can do at home? Dr Sarah Brewer rounds up the ones she thinks are reliable…
into a clinical-grade digital scanner that detects colour changes in the strips that indicate whether or not a urinary infection is present. Results are shown in the Testcard app as ‘negative’, ‘possible UTI’, or ‘high possibility of a UTI’ and it tells you if you need to seek medical advice.
HOW ACCURATE IS IT? Testcard’s testing strips are as accurate and
reliable as professional dipsticks used in hospitals and GP surgeries to detect white blood cells, nitrates and urinary acidity. The ‘reading’ technology has also been tested against the state-of-the-art standards.
VERDICT
This is ideal if you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Your GP (and some prescribing pharmacists) can use the results to decide if you need antibiotics.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and teeth, and supporting immunity.
BETTERYOU VITAMIN D TEST
A dry blood spot test measures vitamin D levels. £32.95; betteryou.com (includes a vitamin D Oral Spray on completing the test).
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Prick your finger with the lancet provided and place blood spots on to a card.
HOW ACCURATE IS IT?
Levels are measured by a lab in collaboration with the Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust.
VERDICT
Vitamin D can be made from sunlight, but often not in levels required. Public Health England advises everyone takes supplements and this test gives information on the right dose for you.