Are you facing any kind of pain under your ribs or having difficulty in passing urine? Do you want to get your kidneys screened to understand if your kidneys are in good health? And is physically going to a clinic to get your kidneys tested a challenge right now?

Well, you’re not alone. Most of us tend to get our kidney screening delayed as we often get stuck in our daily schedule and fail to find time to visit a clinic.

Ever wondered if there’s a way by which you can test your kidney health at home?

The answer is yes. Before going to a doctor, you can take tests at home to check on the health status of your kidneys.

In this blog we will talk about the at-home kidney tests, their accuracy and ease of use. So that, there’s no more missing getting your kidneys tested even if you don’t make it to a clinic.

Why Do You Need To Get Your Kidneys Tested?

Before diving into the at-home kidney tests, it is important to know why, in the first place, you should get your kidneys tested. Because, your kidneys are one of the most vital organs in your body.

And in case there’s an issue with your kidneys, and you fail to detect it at the earliest, there are possibilities that it will mess up the rest of the organs in your body too.

You already may know what kidneys are and what their functions are.

Kidneys are bean shaped organs, which are situated below your ribcage, on both sides of your spine.

Your kidneys act like a filtration system of your body. They filter your blood and remove toxins and other unwanted substances from your body.

They have other functions as well

• They regulate the fluid and electrolyte balance in your body.

• Plays a role in blood pressure regulation.

• Stimulates the bone marrow in the production of red blood cells.

• Converts Vitamin D into active form.

• Maintains acid-base balance.

Why Do You Need an At-Home Kidney Test?

Now that you know about your kidney functions, you can understand, if your kidneys are not healthy, all the above mentioned functions will be affected.

What will happen next if your kidneys aren’t functioning adequately? Waste materials and toxic substances will accumulate in your body. You will experience weakness, sleeplessness, breathing trouble, nausea, vomiting, swelling in your ankles, and many other symptoms.

If the issue is not identified at the earliest and you do not get your treatment started promptly, it could even lead to kidney failure. And your life could be at risk, in that stage.

If you have a home kit to test your kidney’s health, you can diagnose your disease at an early stage and take the necessary actions.

Types of Kidney function tests

You can do either a urine test or blood test to assess your kidney health. You can take both tests if you want a more accurate and better result.

Urine Test

Kidneys normally filter a protein called Albumin in your blood. So, if your urine contains Albumin, it means that your kidneys may be dysfunctional.

There are 2 types of at-home urine test

1. UACR Test or Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio Test - This measures how much Albumin is in your urine in comparison to Creatinine, a waste product.

If it is above 30 mg/gm, it means you have a kidney disease.

2. Dipstick Test - A colour coded stick or testing paper is placed in your urine sample. If the colour changes, there is a possibility of kidney disease.

You can try both these tests at home. Test kits are available at any medical shop.

Blood Test

Through estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate or eGFR GFR, the level of creatinine (a waste product) in your blood can be determined. There are other determining factors in these tests, such as age, sex, race, your body weight, etc.

If your eGFR score is below 60, it means you may have kidney disease. Each range of scores indicates the following

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test and Serum Creatinine Tests are the two blood tests that can indicate if your kidneys are functioning well or not. If both tests show higher values, it means your kidneys are not functioning well and you require immediate clinical intervention.

You can do self blood checks at home.

At-Home Kidney Test Kits

Want to know about some of the effective at-home blood and urine tests for kidney health? Here they are.

Pass Lysun Renal Function Test Strip

The Renal Function Test Strip work with the Renal Function Analysis Meter or Dry Biochemical Analysis Meter to measure the Uric Acid (UA), Creatinine (CR/CREA) and Urea (UR/UREA) concentration in whole blood, plasma and serum.

This 3 in 1 Renal Function Test Trip is used in the diagnosis of various kidney diseases such as nephritis and renal insufficiency. You can refer to the instruction manual to understand how it is to be done.

Four dashed lines will appear on the metre to show the test is in progress. Read the results on the screen in 5 minutes

NeoDocs kidney Care Test

Download the Neodocs app. It is a free app that doesn't require any subscription to access all its perks and services.

You will have to get a wellness card to conduct the test. Dip and retrieve the wellness card from your urine sample in two seconds. Wait for another 60 seconds.

Then, scan the card using the NeoDocs app. You will receive your results on the app in just 30 seconds.

Kidney Function Test Kit by Swemed Biomedicals Pvt. Ltd.

One of the best quality Kidney Function Test Kit, this test kit is procured from high quality basic material and cutting edge technology in compliance with various industrial norms.

It is an easily operated, low maintenance test kit with unmatched precision.

At-Home Kidney Test Kits and Accuracy

There is no research result on how accurate the results of at-home kidney test kits are. But if you use it regularly, you will have an idea on the overall health condition of your kidneys.

Always remember - home test kits are not a replacement for a routine check up and physical examination by a doctor.

If you are concerned about your kidney health after tests, consult with a doctor immediately and do the needful treatment.

Only a doctor can provide the accurate test and the necessary treatment you need to undergo.