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Muscle & Joint Health Blood Test at Jace MedicalMuscle, bone & joints

Private blood test

Muscle & Joint Health Blood Test

Creatine kinase, LDH, uric acid and rheumatoid factor, for muscle and joint symptoms.

  • 4 biomarkers
  • No fasting needed

£49Includes sample collection

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We confirm your appointment and any preparation, such as fasting, before you attend.

What’s included

4 biomarkers in this test.

No fasting needed

Kidneys1

How well your kidneys filter waste from your blood.

  • Uric Acid

Inflammation & immunity1

Signs of inflammation in the body and how your immune system is working.

  • Rheumatoid Factor (RF)

Muscle & bone2

Markers of muscle damage and the hormone that controls calcium in your bones.

  • Creatine Kinase
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

About this test

Is the Muscle & Joint Health Blood Test right for you?

Who it’s for

  • You have muscle pain, tenderness or weakness that has no clear cause.
  • You take a statin and have muscle aches, pain or weakness. Tell your prescriber about your symptoms as well.
  • You have had sudden attacks of severe pain, heat and swelling in a joint, often the big toe, which can be a sign of gout.
  • You have painful, swollen or stiff joints and want a first set of results to discuss with your GP.

What it can show

  • Creatine kinase (CK) is released into the blood when muscle is damaged or under strain. It is the main blood test for muscle problems.
  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is found in almost every tissue in the body. A raised level shows that tissue is being damaged somewhere, but not where.
  • Uric acid is used to help confirm gout. High levels can lead to crystals forming in and around the joints.
  • Rheumatoid factor (RF) is an antibody found in more than half of people with rheumatoid arthritis when the condition starts.

What it can’t tell you

  • CK rises after strenuous exercise, injections into a muscle, falls, bruising and surgery, and it can also be raised by an underactive thyroid.
  • Uric acid can be normal during a gout attack. NICE advises repeating the test at least 2 weeks after the attack settles if gout is still suspected.
  • About 1 in 20 people without rheumatoid arthritis test positive for RF, and many people with it test negative, so a normal result does not rule it out.
  • LDH is very sensitive to how the sample is handled, and a delay in processing can make it look falsely high.
  • Results need to be interpreted alongside your symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment of muscle and joint conditions are with your GP or specialist.

How it works

From booking to results in three steps.

  1. Step 1

    Request your test

    Send a booking request online or call us. We confirm your clinic, appointment time and any preparation.

  2. Step 2

    Visit the clinic

    A short appointment for professional sample collection at Greysteel or Letterkenny. No GP referral needed.

  3. Step 3

    Receive your results

    Usually within a couple of working days, emailed to you once a doctor has reviewed them.

Common questions

Questions about this test.

There is no single blood test for joint health. This test looks at markers linked to muscle damage, gout and rheumatoid arthritis, which can help your GP decide what to look at next.

Based on 7 sources, including NHS and NICE guidance

Choose your clinic

Where would you like your test?

All clinic information
A clinician meeting with a patient at Jace Medical’s Greysteel clinicNorthern Ireland

County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Greysteel Clinic

Our main clinic, on the A2 between Derry/Londonderry and Limavady, for testing, medicals and health services.

Address
Unit 1 & 2, The Vale Centre, Clooney Road, Greysteel, BT47 3GE
Opening hours
Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm · Free parking at The Vale Centre
Phone
028 7116 5790
Book at Greysteel DirectionsClinic details

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Send a request and our team will confirm your clinic, appointment time, price and any preparation.

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