Whether you're concerned that you may be suffering from some medical condition or other, or if you're simply looking for some reassurance that everything's all right, visiting your doctor may not always be the cheapest and most efficient solution. In fact, there are many medical diagnostic kits available online or from pharmacies that you can easily use from the privacy of your home, including tests for allergies, cholesterol, and many other conditions and diseases.
However, if you choose to purchase a test online, always make sure that you buy from a reputable company. If you can't find out much about the company or if their products tend to receive a lot of negative reviews, then those are a couple of sure signs that you should stay away and get your kit from elsewhere. It's also important to bear in mind that these tests aren't 100% foolproof, and while they can offer you a considerable amount of assurance, serious concerns or doubts should still always be addressed to a professional.
Here are 8 simple medical diagnostic tests you can perform at home:
If you've been wondering whether your itches and sniffles are the result of an allergy, then there are plenty of tests out there that are perfect for your needs. One of the best is ImmuneTech's MyAllergyTest, which has an FDA-confirmed 93% accuracy rating and can detect the 10 most common allergens: dust mites, cats, milk, wheat, egg, mold, ragweed, cedar, bermuda grass, and timothy grass. Once you receive your kit, you simply need to prick your finger to collect a tiny blood sample, before mailing it to their laboratory. You'll then typically receive your results by post or email within a week.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, then tracking your situation at home is an easy method of making sure your medication is doing its job and that your numbers are accurate. One of our favorites is the Omron blood pressure monitor, which has been found to maintain precise and consistent readings. One of its most innovative features is that it allows you to store and monitor up to 200 readings for 2 persons. Most blood pressure monitors should be relatively straightforward to use, but if in doubt your doctor will be glad to help you out.
Having too much cholesterol in your body can leave you prone to strokes and heart attacks, so keeping a close eye on it can never hurt. A good cholesterol home testing kit will be able to give you a reading in around 15 minutes, and may even allow you to determine your good cholesterol (HDL) level, which can help you work out your risk of Cardio Heart Disease (CHD). Apart from the kit, all you'll need are a couple of drops of blood from a finger prick. Some brands we'd recommend are Cholestrak, First Check, and CardioChek.
Apart from being extremely painful, urinary tract infections may also lead to nasty complications. Having knowledge about whether your discomfort is actually caused by a UTI or something else will allow you to receive the appropriate treatment much sooner. There are many tests available which only require you to urinate on a medically-treated strip, and which can give you results in just a couple of minutes. Some of the most highly-praised brands include AZO, Multistix, and Mission.
If you find that your thyroid hormones are out of balance, then this can unbalance quite a number of other chemical reactions that occur in your body. As a result, you could eventually find yourself suffering from other undesirable conditions, such as heart disease and obesity. By means of a simple finger prick test, a home thyroid test kit can allow you to measure the amount of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) that there is in your body. After sending your sample to the lab, you'll receive your results in around ten days. One of the most reputable companies that offer this service is Home Health Testing.
If you frequently suffer from strep throat, then a strep test kit from Rapid Response or Pro Advantage may be just what you need. Most test kits require you to swab your throat, agitate the swab in a test tube, and view your results on the test strip. A positive result means that you'll still have to visit your doctor to discuss treatment options. On the other hand, a negative result means that your sore throat may be the result of a virus instead, which may go away on its own or require additional treatment, depending on its severity.
A quantitative Prothrombin test will allow you to easily measure how long your blood takes to clot. Performing such a test is especially important if you make use of any blood-thinning medications, such as Warfarin or Coumadin, however, they do usually require a doctor's prescription. Like many other tests, they require a drop or two of blood from your finger, which you must then insert into a test meter. This will measure the duration of the blood clotting process, as well as the strength of your blood's anticoagulant effects. A couple of recommended products are Roche CoaguChek XS and microINR.
The Hepatitis C infection can cause deadly liver disease if left untreated, so getting yourself checked is never really a bad idea. Many home-use tests can not only check whether the virus is currently inside your system but can also let you know if it has ever been there in the past. A test kit typically comes with a lancet and some filter paper to absorb a couple of drops of blood. Once, you've collected your blood sample, you then need to send it off to the laboratory for analysis in a special container, after which you'll eventually receive your results. A positive result should immediately be followed up with a doctor's appointment to discuss treatment options. One of the most reliable test kits is the Home Access Hepatitis C Check kit.
Sources: everydayhealth, fda
Images: depositphotos, pixabay
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