Self-diagnosis and medical teleconsultation are societal phenomena that have developed at high speed in recent years, especially since the pandemic of the new Coronavirus Covid-19 and the containment measures imposed in many countries around the world. Thus, our team offers you a quick tour of the main medical devices to have at home, very useful in carrying out a remote diagnosis (or a self-diagnosis) or in the context of monitoring a pathology.
The thermometer, number 1 in medical devices.
Primordial in case of health problems, the thermometer for taking temperature is the number 1 medical device to have at home. Indeed, in the event of illness, fever remains the main symptom to evaluate. Whether high or moderate, a temperature higher than normal is always an indicator of an infectious fight by the body and requires careful and appropriate monitoring. Very widespread in the majority of French homes, the thermometer, whether electronic or simple, frontal, ear, or digital, has relatively variable precision, but the result nevertheless remains reliable. It is an inexpensive and easily accessible device. It is possible to obtain supplies in pharmacies, online or even in supermarkets. Remember, however, that the marketing of mercury thermometers, although very widespread since the 1900s, has been prohibited since July 10, 2005 following a directive from the European Parliament.
The blood pressure monitor, necessary at all ages.
Less present in French homes, because it covers a spectrum of pathologies that are apparently less broad, the blood pressure monitor nonetheless remains a very important health device to have at home. Contrary to popular belief, measuring blood pressure is not only the prerogative of elderly, weakened people or those suffering from serious pathologies. Blood pressure is an excellent indicator of the overall state of health of the human body, and allows us to quickly highlight a health problem that is potentially difficult to identify, because it is sometimes completely asymptomatic. Hypotension or hypertension are also common medical disorders, which affect a very large part of the population, and which require appropriate monitoring. Pregnant women may also be subject to severe attacks of hypertension, mainly at the end of pregnancy, which can have serious or even fatal consequences for the mother and child. Hence the importance of having suitable equipment at home in the event of an emergency, for yourself or a loved one.
The oximeter, a medical device in full expansion.
Much less known, the pulse oximeter has come into the spotlight since the appearance of Covid-19, to the point of undergoing a partial shortage of stocks during the peak of the epidemic. The oximeter (or saturometer) is a medical device that measures the oxygen saturation of the blood. More broadly, it makes it possible to monitor the proper functioning of the respiratory system, the main victim of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Blood oxygen saturation is expressed in %, and the normal value is between 95 and 100%. Below 90%, a person’s condition is considered serious and emergency hospitalization should be considered. Another important point is that the oximeter, due to its operating principle, also allows you to measure your heart rate (expressed in bpm), which makes it a very useful 2-in-1 device these days.