Now more than ever before, great medical care is at your fingertips. From telemedicine to at-home doctors and nurses, to lab tests that you can do from home, getting the care you need is not only more affordable, it’s also more accessible. You don’t have to go to the doctor to get the results of some common medical tests. In fact, you can do many of them from home with a little bit of equipment and information. Here are some of the most common tests that people do from home.
Blood Sugar
Test your blood sugar. Blood sugar monitoring is a vital part of diabetes management and has been around for a long time. You can test your blood sugar with the help of a home glucose meter, which can be purchased at a pharmacy or online. Additionally, you can have a blood test done using a simple at-home test kit to test for other blood sugar markers.
UTI Tests
Urinary tract infections are common, especially in women and the elderly. Tests for urinary tract infections are relatively easy and can be done with urine test kits, urine test strips, or a urine dipstick. All three tests can determine whether you have a urinary tract infection, but the results are more accurate with urine test kits.
STD Tests
No one wants to have an STD, but what’s worse is not knowing you have one so that you don’t get early treatment. Don’t let the stigma keep you from getting tested. There are plenty of options including a chlamydia test, HIV test, and even tests for hepatitis. Because you can do them privately from home, these tests can be invaluable if you might be at risk.
Test Your Thyroid Function
A full thyroid panel may be ordered when you have symptoms of low or high thyroid function, such as fatigue or weight gain. Your test will check your levels of T3, T4, and TSH. TSH stands for thyroid-stimulating hormone and is produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. It’s the main regulator of your body’s production of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4).
Check Your Body Mass Index
The BMI is a simple ratio of weight to height. It’s a good way to determine whether you’re underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. This can help you determine if you’re at risk of weight related illnesses.
Test Your Cholesterol
Knowing your cholesterol level is one of the most important things you can do as a person who wants to live a long and healthy life. Cholesterol is an important component found in all cells, but it’s especially concentrated in animal products like meat and cheese. The body needs some cholesterol to function properly, but if you have too much of it in your bloodstream it can start to build up on the walls of your arteries, which can lead to other health problems such as heart attacks or strokes. Testing your cholesterol levels lets you know if you
Test Your Hearing
If you enjoy listening to music and want to make sure your hearing is still in tip-top shape, there are a few simple tests you can do at home. The first involves turning on some music that has a strong bass line, such as club music or hip hop. Then turn the volume up until it’s around 60 decibels, the same level as city traffic, and see if you can hear the bass clearly. You can also do this with a smartphone app like Ear Check or My Tinnitus Test. If you can’t hear those sounds well enough, it’s time to get yourself checked out by an audiologist so they can figure out what’s going on with your ears and recommend treatment if needed.
Test for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can cause many health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It can also make you gain weight by causing you to wake up in the middle of the night and desire to eat more. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea but are unsure if it’s severe enough for an overnight sleep study at the hospital or clinic, there are some easy tests you can do from home to see if you might be at risk for this condition. Your doctor may send you home with some monitors to measure how you sleep over several nights.