uric acid test Topic

Uric Acid Management

Though pain control is often the first consideration of gout management, long term uric acid control is the only way to prevent gout returning.

Gouty arthritis is a progressive disease. Left untreated, uric acid will continue to build up causing increasing, painful gout flares and joint damage. Many doctors realize this, and take care to manage uric acid with regular tests and medical or lifestyle therapies to manage uric acid levels in the blood.

Unfortunately, there are a significant number of doctors who either do not believe in uric acid management, or do not have sufficient training to ensure that uric acid is controlled to a safe level.

Do any of the following apply to you?

• Your doctor fails to provide frequent uric acid tests, or
• It is inconvenient for you to travel to a blood testing facility, or
• You want extra data to help micro-manage lifestyle changes.

In those cases you need to seriously consider buying your own portable uric acid test kit. But what about cost?

Uric Acid Tester Costs

I am currently researching costs of “official” uric acid test kits. USA costs are around $30 to $60, though much depends on how much is covered by insurance. UK costs are covered by the National Health Service, though travel costs and inconvenience may also be factors.

Test strips for portable uric acid testers are less than $2 each, but there is an initial outlay of around $75 for the testing unit. This implies that you can make savings after very few tests, though much will depend on what you currently pay for tests.

I am researching the costs in more detail, along with insurance implications. I would appreciate your input in the Gout Forum – please let me know what you pay for your uric acid tests. Once I have the information, I will update my uric acid test kit reference page.