Self Health Check-ups at Home

It is often said that, 'Prevention is better than cure'. In today's fast moving & stressful time, regular health checks have become a necessity for a happy and healthy life. But for many people, going to the doctor for a health check is something they avoid unless they feel something is terribly wrong. If you are one of those then it's time to take charge of your health!

Getting regular check-ups these days is more important then ever. Regular check-ups are the key to early detection. Going for a basic check up regularly helps us in spotting problems and preventing them to develop into a bigger problem. There are many health check ups that you can do at home. Here are a few to get you started:

Heart Rate & Rhythm Check

Your heart rate or pulse is the rate at which your heart beats, pumping blood through your body. The heart rate is a direct indicator of how hard or intense the heart is working to supply the body with blood needed for your activity. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) affecting millions of people each year but many don't even realize that they have the condition. Atrial fibrillation is not in itself generally life-threatening, but it may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. People with AF usually have a significantly increased risk of stroke (up to 7 times that of the general population).

To measure your heart rate at home, simply check your pulse. Place two fingers on the thumb side of your wrist, or place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. Using your watch or timepiece to keep time, count how many beats occur in 20 seconds. Multiply this number by three. The result will be your current heart rate. When measuring the pulse, try to assess the rhythm and take note of an unsteady rhythm or extra beats.

In adults, normal resting pulse beat is 60 - 85 beats per minute (for athletes it can be lower - 40 - 60 bpm); child's resting pulse rates tend to be higher. If the pulse rate is irregular or abnormally fast or slow, this can be a sign of illness.

Iron Deficiency Test

Iron-deficiency commonly leads to anaemia. Anaemia is a condition in which the blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to the cells throughout your body, giving you energy and your skin a healthy color. Iron deficiency may leave you weak, tired and pale, as your body can't produce enough haemoglobin - a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. In young children, iron-deficiency anaemia can cause a heart murmur and delays in growth and development. As the blood lacks oxygen, the heart has to work harder to get enough oxygen throughout the body. Over time, this stress on the heart can lead to a fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, an enlarged heart, and even heart failure.

To perform this test, check for unusual pale or yellowish skin (especially your palm creases), gums, or nail beds or listen to the heart for a rapid or irregular heartbeat. You can also listen to the lungs for rapid or uneven breathing.

Wheezing Check-up

Wheezing is an abnormal sound made during breathing that can be compared to a high-pitched whistling sound. Wheezing due to narrowed airways in the lungs is often the result of diseases, such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia.

In order to check this, have a look at your sputum (also called phlegm). If it is yellowish, greenish, or brownish appearance may indicate a bacterial infection. Clear but very sticky (mucoid) sputum is characteristic of asthma. Also, if you wheeze often and experience shortness of breath when you exercise, you may have asthma. Ask your doctor to check you for asthma.

Test Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when a person's body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use insulin properly. When you have diabetes, the sugar builds up in your blood instead of moving into the cells. Regular testing of your blood sugar can help reduce your risk of having long-term complications from diabetes.

You are at increased risk of diabetes if you are older than 45 years of age, overweight, not physically active and have a diabetic family member (parent, brother or sister). If most of the risk factors apply to you, then you're at high risk for diabetes and get a blood sugar test done regularly. You can also do a blood sugar test home with the help of a glucose meter. Prick yourself with a sterile lancet to get a drop of blood and place the drop of blood on the test strip. Insert the test strip into the glucose meter to get a reading. Normal glucose levels fall between 70 and 99 mg per dL (when the test is done in the morning before you eat anything).

Measure Your Waist

Even if you aren't overweight, extra abdominal, or visceral, fat can put you at higher risk for a lot of health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke etc. Measuring the circumference of your waist, or how wide your torso is all the way around, is an easy way to determine whether you have excess fat in your abdominal area.

In order to do this, stand up straight and relax your abdominal muscles. Wrap the measuring tape completely around your waist starting at the belly button. Breathe minimally, and make sure not to pull the tape measure so tight that it depresses the skin. Remove the tape and record your result. For women, a waist measurement of 32 inches (80 cms) increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes; a waist circumference greater than 35 inches is considered high risk. For men, 37 inches (94 cms) increases your risk and a measurement greater than 40 inches puts you under high risk category.

Of course these tests aren't a substitute to your annual medical test. Regular tests have saved lives and it is worth spending money for checkup regularly. A regularly scheduled check-up is also a good time to get updated on new medical information and technologies that are available.