Preparation
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a fast, sensitive marker of inflammation anywhere in the body. The liver releases CRP within hours of tissue injury, infection or inflammatory disease, and its level falls just as quickly when the cause resolves — which makes it invaluable for both detecting trouble and tracking recovery.
Doctors use CRP in many situations: telling bacterial from viral infections, monitoring autoimmune conditions, checking whether an infection is responding to antibiotics, and following post-surgical recovery. It is a signal, not a diagnosis — an elevated CRP says "something is inflamed", and your clinical picture says where.
The test is a single home blood draw with no fasting needed. For tracking a known condition, booking the same slot each time keeps readings comparable. Reports are released in the app, usually the same or next day.
Both mark inflammation, but CRP rises and falls much faster — within hours. ESR moves slowly over days. Doctors often order both; CRP is the more real-time signal.