Medical tests at home – useful or risky?
Waiting rooms are often crowded, physicians have little time for individuals and also provide important information in incomprehensible jargon. Many patients consider therefore twice before going to the doctor is really inevitable, and instead employ a new screening tests for home.
A trend towards self-test is unmistakable, just looking at the myriad of “health apps” for smartphones and Co. But medical tests at home are on the rise: long can no longer be detected in this way only pregnancies in their own homes. A few drops of blood, saliva or urine are often sufficient for the early detection of physical weaknesses through self-test. Whether Renal and urinary disorders, food allergies or other allergies, or even heart attacks, cancer and HIV – many manufacturers of more or less inexpensive test kits promise certainty in a few minutes. Also, the quantity and quality of sperm or paternity leave in the meantime check from home. Whether these services are useful or not, there is disagreement even among experts.
Test results are often unreliable.
The reliability of the test kits provided is sometimes low: can false positive results unnecessary worry cause healthy, false-negative results lead, however, to the fact that weigh affected by mistake to safety. Blood in the stool , which is considered a key indicator of colon cancer, may also result from relatively harmless bleeding gums. On the other hand, does not bleed any cancer precursor – the test would be in such a case, fatally negative. Often, the handling is already so complicated that there is a faulty sampling. In addition, the consumption of certain foods or taking medication affect the results. On the other hand, positive results often lead those people to the doctor, the usually shy away from the aisle there; Ideally, therefore creating a greater awareness of their own health.
Recommended self measurements.
Packages can not refuse medical self-test, ie, some are even quite reasonable. Of course diabetics should regularly measure their blood sugar levels without having to see a doctor for it. People with a tendency to bladder infections benefit from being able to examine their own urine nitrite quickly and easily. Also the flu test has advantages: The infection can thus not prevent more, but it can more people be protected from infection. In general, all tests are of high significance than recommended. This includes regular blood pressure measurements and self-examination of blood lipid levels and urine tests on micro albumin, which indicates diabetes mellitus. Similarly, the peak-flow method by which asthmatics can document their lung function, makes perfect sense. What is important for newly occur discomfort complaints or suspicion of disease reflect actual medical consultant should be consulted – and if the waiting room is so full.