What is a rapid test for cystitis?
A rapid test for cystitis is a package of urine test strips available over the counter at pharmacies, drugstores or the Internet. It can be used at home to quickly and easily determine whether a urinary bladder infection may be present. If a bladder infection is present, a doctor should then be consulted, who can then initiate further diagnostic steps.
Who should take a quick test for cystitis?
Persons who feel a frequent urge to urinate, but only a few drops of urine and also feel pain in the abdomen when urinating, show symptoms of cystitis. Women in particular are more frequently affected than men, as their urethra is shorter. This means that bacterial infections can rise up to the bladder more easily and cause the painful symptoms.
Can I get a quick test for cystitis without a prescription?
The rapid test for cystitis is available without prescription in pharmacies. In addition, numerous verified on-line Shopping sides in the Internet offer rapid tests for at home from different manufacturers. The advantage here is that suspected urinary tract infections can be detected quickly and easily without having to wait a long time for an appointment with a doctor.
Procedure
The urine should first be collected in a urine cup. Then, a test strip is simply dipped into the urine for a few seconds (this time varies between manufacturers). After about 30 to 60 seconds of waiting time, the colors on the test strip can be compared with the color chart on the back of the package.
Some manufacturers offer test strips that not only indicate whether a pathological value is present in the urine, but also how strong or weak it is. This makes it easy to determine at home whether treatment by a doctor is necessary. However, in principle, it is always strongly recommended to consult a doctor if a positive test for cystitis is found.
