Health Articles
Smartphones are one of the most important reasons why healthcare is becoming increasingly accessible to the public, as they can help patients all over the world manage their own health. People today also have increased their knowledge about their own bodies and health. The result of this quickly growing technology and better education is that people now can do thorough self check-ups.
The advantages of DIY check-ups
There are several advantages in doing self check-ups and coordinating your health through mobile technology. One of the benefits is that it conveniently allows people to access care for themselves and others and encourages better health awareness. Monitoring your health at home is a comfortable solution, as you can measure your data whenever it suits you. Recent studies have also shown that you get more precise heart rate readings when they are done at home, as the patient isn’t exposed to the same stress as when the doctor takes the readings. According to this article, up to 25% of people are diagnosed with a high blood pressure and are therefore given medication unnecessarily.
Doctors can use the information from at-home self check-ups to monitor patients’ health information more frequently than if the information was collected in the doctor’s office. A recent study has shown that 88% of doctors want patients to track their health at home. By doing self-checks, patients become more independent, and they can actually prepare more valuable questions for their next doctor’s visit. Healthcare thus becomes more efficient as physicians spend less time diagnosing non-critical illnesses and can focus on more pressing cases.
Devices and applications
Mobile technology and tools that allow self-monitoring have made it possible for patients to be more independent. Here are a few devices and applications that you might find useful.
First, we’ve already mentioned WebMD on the blog, a free health application, which helps you diagnose diseases. It contains an extensive database of medication and health providers.
The interactive dermatology apps Dermomap and VisualDx help you diagnose skin problems by identifying symptoms, while the sensor device “Factor 61” helps you to detect potential skin cancer at home.
The Intel app “Mobile Therapy” helps you manage stress and improve mental health by displaying a mood map on the cell phone’s screen, which pops up at random times during the day. When you indicate your mood on the screen, the app offers therapeutic exercises.
The Pain Free Back app helps you determine the causes of your back pains and provides a specialized program of exercises based on your problem and adjusts it to your feedback.
Are you doing self check-ups? Which devices and applications do you use?
