Self-test kits are medical tests designed for home use that you can buy at a local or online pharmacy store. The testing kits help you check certain conditions and diseases without having to travel to the laboratory.
At-home medical test kits are available at Apollo Pharmacy to help monitor your health. Some medical tests may require you to collect a specimen of body fluid like urine, blood, saliva, etc., and apply it directly to the kit. While most self-test kits may offer you results immediately, some may require you to wait a while for the result.
Many of these at-home medical tests are available over-the-counter or at online pharmacies where you can buy them without a doctor’s prescription. However, you must still contact your doctor or a medical expert to check on the type of testing kit to use.
Every test kit comes with its own set of instructions and directions. Following are some of the commonly used at-home medical tests that you can perform by yourself:
Pregnancy test kits: You need a test strip and a cup to perform the test. Collect your urine by using the cup. Then, place the test strip inside the cup. You will see a coloured line, two lines, or a + sign if the result is positive. It varies across brands.
Glucose test: To perform the glucose test, you must prick one of your fingers with a lancet. Once you get the blood sample, place it on a test strip. Then, put it inside the monitor. The test results will display the glucose level in numerical figures. Different brands of glucose test devices work differently.
Genetic test: This test helps you identify your risk of cancer or other diseases. You need to provide a saliva sample or take a swab inside your cheek. Then mail the sample to the lab or as directed in the packaging by the manufacturer. Once the testing is done, you will know the results.
Hepatitis C test: The procedure requires you to prick one of your fingers with a lancet to get the blood sample. Then, you need to place the collected sample on special paper, seal it, and send it to your desired laboratory. The lab professionals will get in touch with you for the test results.
All testing kits come with separate instructions and directions for use. Every manufacturer lists this information on the packaging or as an added label. Some common self-test kits are pregnancy tests, thermometers, blood pressure monitors, oximeters, blood glucose tests, diabetes test kits, etc.
At-home medical test kits make testing at home a convenient option for people who want to keep track of their health levels like blood sugar levels, blood pressure levels, etc. After taking the test, you must get in touch with your doctor or medical professional to understand the results. Make sure to use self-test kits that are authorised and approved by medical institutions and follow the instructions mentioned in the packaging. Do not purchase or use tests that have reached their expiry date.
Most test kits are reliable and give accurate results. You can easily perform any testing at home and obtain results that correlate closely with lab tests. These test kits are designed to provide ease of access and conduct a self-test for routine purposes.
Medical experts strongly recommend reporting suspicious test results like higher or lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels to your doctor. If you are performing results that indicate a positive or negative test result, you must report the same to your doctor. Your doctor or healthcare provider can offer appropriate treatment based on the test results.