Home kit
CRP Inflammation Test
C-reactive protein, a general marker of inflammation in the body.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
C-reactive protein
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a blood test used to check the level of inflammation in the body. A raised level shows inflammation is present but not its cause, because inflammation is a feature of many conditions. It is often checked alongside ESR, another inflammation test.
Overview
C-reactive protein, a general marker of inflammation, on its own. People use it to recheck a previously raised result, or alongside a longer panel when a doctor has asked for it.
Used by doctors to help assess inflammation or infection. It shows that inflammation is present, not where or why, so it is read alongside your symptoms.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone wanting to recheck a previously raised CRP
- A focused check when a clinician has advised repeating CRP after treatment
Who it isn’t for
- CRP says that inflammation is present somewhere; it never says where or why. A recent infection such as a cold, or an injury, can raise it, so a raised result is not always a sign of a lasting problem. On its own it is of limited use.
- If you want a low-level inflammation marker to sit alongside a cholesterol result, the hs-CRP Inflammation Test measures it on its own.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- A previously raised inflammation result you want rechecked
- An ongoing inflammatory condition being monitored
- Being asked by a clinician to have CRP measured
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- C-reactive protein▲ High
- Result
- 9 mg/L
- Range
- <5
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-reactive protein | 9 | mg/L | <5 | ▲ High |
Doctor’s note (example)
CRP is mildly raised, which usually reflects a recent cold or minor inflammation rather than anything serious. I would suggest repeating it once you have been well for two weeks.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleFinger-prick sample at home, or a clinic blood draw, your choice
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home finger-prick kit
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as hs-CRP?
No. This is standard CRP, which is used to look at inflammation and infection. High-sensitivity CRP measures much lower concentrations and is sometimes used as one extra input alongside heart risk factors, although UK heart risk scores do not use it. It is sold on its own as the hs-CRP Inflammation Test.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report.
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