DIY health - tests for taking care of yourself at home

We are frequently told about how often we need to get things checked and tested in regards to our health; from getting a blood test every year, to having our teeth checked every six months, to getting our eyes checked every two years. But, how many of us actually keep up with this? 

There are many tests that you can do in the comfort of your own home, thanks to the developments that have been made in technology. With that being said, read on to discover more about the tests that are available, the advantages of doing them at home, and various apps that can help you to keep tabs on your health.

What are the advantages of testing yourself at home?

• Convenience – The main reason why people carry out home tests is because they are convenient. You don’t have to take time off work or out of your daily routine to fit in a doctor’s appointment. 
• Anonymity – Another benefit of home testing is the fact that the results are anonymous, and you can have the peace of mind that no one will know.
• Faster results – Results are often a lot faster when it comes to home testing. 
• Doctor’s time put to better use – By only going to the doctor when you need to or when you suspect that something is wrong, you free up their time, ensuring it is better spent. This is important when you consider the strain placed on the NHS nowadays.  

Health tests that can be bought from online pharmacies:

Blood, urine, and kidney disorders – There are tests to check for kidney disease, blood disorders, and urinary tract disorders. These can all be detected in your urine using a dipstick test. 

STI tests – Sexual health tests for conditions such as HIV, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia are available at various clinics online. In most cases, you will need to either provide a urine sample or take a swab and send it back to the pharmacy. 

Intolerance and allergies tests - There are plenty of tests that can help you discover if you have certain allergies or if you are living with an intolerance; one example is the gluten intolerance test. 

Cholesterol kits –Test kits can give you an indication of good and bad cholesterol levels in the blood.

Apps that can help you to keep tabs on your health:

MyFitnessPal – This app allows you to keep track of all of the calories you consume in a day as well as the calories you burn by working out. 

Sick Weather – This app provides people with a real-time map of different illnesses around the city. It covers a lengthy list of known diseases. 

RunKeeper – This app records how far you have run, the calories burned, pace and time. It also gives you alerts to keep you informed of how you are doing, pace wise.

There are many benefits to gain by keeping on top of your health by carrying out various tests at home and using some of the great apps that are available. Nevertheless, while self-testing comes highly recommended, self-treatment does not. If you ever have any doubts that are relating to your health, you should always talk to a health professional. 

Oxford Online Pharmacy offers a wide range of high-quality health tests. For more information about how they work and how we can help with the test results, please click here.