DIY health: How to perform medical tests at home

Woman doing a blood test at home. (Courtesy/iStock)

Medical advances are ever-evolving. You can use readily available algorithms to self-diagnose when suffering from some symptoms. You can self-prescribe to some extent. You can also self-test within the confines of your home or office for various conditions. Reasons cited for self-testing include confidentiality, convenience and privacy. Self-testing also provides a sense of reassurance if the results are negative.

For you to do any medical self-testing, you need to cater to some basics. For starters, you must be well informed about the condition you are testing for. You also need a testing gadget. And you must also be able to collect the specific testing samples, say a blood or urine sample. Those who suffer some conditions like diabetes already do a lot of self-testing for blood sugar levels. Automated gadgets give instant results, linked to inbuilt interpretations of the results.

Other tests require a testing kit availed from a formal lab. All you need is to liaise with your doctor and the lab for specific instructions. Women will be familiar with such home kits for common tests like pap smears that screen for cervical cancer. The instructions on how to collect testing samples are usually straightforward, followed by how to package and return the kit to the lab. You then sit tight and wait for the results to come through, with advice on any interventions.

When at a doctor's office, you can also sometimes request to self-collect your samples for testing. If it's only a finger prick for a certain test, you could choose to do this yourself. Samples that require intimate medical exams can also be self-taken. Women can for example take their own vaginal swabs, thereby avoiding the feeling of intrusion and discomfort when a third party takes the sample.

If you have self-diagnosed with a home test, you then need to be clear about the next steps. If you tested for something mundane and non-progressive, then you may not need to do anything else regardless of the result. But if your test was for something serious, you will need appropriate treatment. In such cases, you must consult with your doctors, and get prompt treatment and follow-up to confirm a cure.

Self-medical testing gives you a sense of control. You can test yourself whenever you want, and wherever. Don't do any home tests as a fad if you do not intend to follow through with any positive results. Go to your regular healthcare provider instead.

Dr Alfred Murage is a Consultant Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist. [e-mail]