Medical devices you must have at your home and medical centers
Medical emergencies can hit our house at any time. Nowadays, the incidences of diabetes, obesity, Abnormal Blood pressure, and heart diseases have become quite common.
Hence, it is absolutely essential to regularly monitor our body, especially Body Temperature, Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Respiratory Rate. In addition, consistent checks of blood sugar levels and body weight changes are also equally important.
But we all know that our busy schedules don’t allow us to remain fit and also, it is not easy to visit the doctor’s clinic after every day or even after a few weeks.
But thanks to the advancement of technology because now we can do all these tests at home.
Our body indicates some characteristic symptoms at the initial stages of some disorders like diabetes or heart disease. And, with the help of portable medical devices, we can track the records of our diseases at home.
The main advantage of constant inspections of crucial body metrics is the early and prompt diagnosis of serious illnesses. This can improve the effectiveness of treatment and quality of life in later years.
Here are the top 8 medical devices for every household / medical centers
Digital Thermometer: Thermometers are the very basic and essential medical device that should be available at everyone’s home. Whenever any member feels the epidemic of fever, cold, or flu, the Hicks Digital Thermometer indicates the body temperature.
A digital thermometer is used to take rectal, armpit, and oral temperatures. It measures temperature with a heat sensor and requires a button battery. It is a small handy device with a “window.” That transparent window shows the body temperature in numbers.
Digital thermometers come in many sizes and shapes. You can get them at most supermarkets and pharmacies, and they are available in a range of prices.
The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends digital thermometers for taking a child’s temperature because they’re fast and accurate.
How to use digital thermometer at home?
1. Wash your hands properly before holding the thermometer
2. Turn on the digital thermometer
3. Place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue. Make sure that the mouth stays closed.
4. Wait for the beep sound and read the temperature. It usually takes less than 30 seconds to measure.
Make sure not to measure the temperature directly after eating or drinking something. Take a break of atleast 10 minutes before using the digital thermometer.
| Body Temperature Ranges | ||
| Range | Lower End | Higher End |
| Normal | 97 degrees F | 99 degrees F |
| Low-Grade Fever | 98.6 degrees F | 100.3 degrees F |
| Fever | 100.4 degrees F | 103 degrees F |
| High Fever | 103 degrees F | n/a |
The normal temperature of the human body is between 97 degrees F to 99 degrees F or 360C to 37.50C. If your body temperature is higher or lower than the normal, then you can opt for the hicks digital thermometer.
Digital Blood Pressure (BP) monitor: If you suffer from either low or high BP problem, and have to visit the doctor frequently, then you must have a BP Monitor at home. It helps to maintain your BP record daily and update your doctor regularly. Measuring your blood pressure at home is an excellent way to manage your health.
Digital Blood Pressure monitors are more popular to measure blood pressure. It comes with a gauge and stethoscope. The small screen of the monitor displays blood pressure reading. Some machines even have a printing option to print out the reading track of blood pressure.
How to use Digital Blood Pressure (BP) monitor at home?
1. Before measuring, empty your bladder and rest for at least 5 minutes. Most importantly, do not measure your blood pressure within 30 minutes of drinking caffeine or smoking.
2. Now, sit with your back straight on a chair and flat feet on the floor. Make sure your legs are not in crossed position.
3. Elevate your left art to the heart level and make sure the cuff around your arm is supported with some cushion.
4. The cuff will inflate, and then slowly deflate so that the machine can take your measurement. Once the device completes the reading, the monitor will display your blood pressure and pulse.
What is normal blood pressure?
Glucometer: Anybody who faces the problem of blood sugar or diabetes should keep Glucometer at home. It can give valuable information about the range of blood sugar. Regular monitoring is a helpful way to manage your diabetes and control your blood sugar. Anyone with a Type1 or Type2 diabetes or gestational diabetes during pregnancy can use a glucometer to monitor their blood sugar and keep it in check.
The Glucometer is conveniently sized and portable medical equipment. It requires only a single drop of blood to check glucose levels. Usually, a drop of blood, acquired by piercing the finger of the diabetic person with a surgical knife or lancet, is then put on a disposable strip, which is then put into the meter, which reads the glucose levels in the blood.
How to use Glucometer at home?
Before starting, make sure to keep these things ready: the Glucometer, test strip, lancing device, lancet, and alcohol pad.
1. Wash your hands with soap properly
2. Prepare the lancet device by removing the lancet cover and put the needle in it.
3. Remove the needle cap and replace the lancet cover carefully.
4. Now, prepare the glucose meter. Here, you need to insert the glucose test strip into the test strip slot. The Glucometer will turn on automatically.
Note: Once it started, it will display a ready-to-test signal on the screen by showing the test strip and blood drop symbols.
5. Wipe one finger with an alcohol swap and wait to dry.
6. Press the lancet device to puncture the finger and push the button to release the needle.
7. Squeeze your finger to get a drop of blood.
8. Now, apply the blood sample at the end of the strip inserted in Glucometer.
9. Wait to see the accurate results and record them. It takes hardly 5 seconds to show the results on the screen.
Pulse oxymeter: Pulse oximeters are occasionally used as home health care equipment for people who are suffering from Asthma, Pneumonia, Anemia, heart attack or heart failure, etc. It is a small painless medical device that measures the saturation of oxygen in red blood cells.
It is typically a clip-like device attached to your finger, the ear, forehead, nose or toes. Physicians use pulse oximeters to know whether the patient is experiencing shortness of breath or those who have a lung or heart conditions to determine if they’re getting enough oxygen.
How to use Pulse oxymeter at home?
1. Place this device on your finger, toe, or earlobe like a clip attachés. You will feel a little pressure.
2. Small beams of light pass through the blood in the finger, which quickly shows the pulse and oxygen saturation at the screen.
3. Once the test is done, remove the device.
Normal oxygen saturation levels range 95 and 100 percent. Saturation levels less than 90 percent are considered abnormally low and the level of 95 percent is considered normal for most healthy individuals.
Nebulizers: People who have Asthma must have heard about the nebulizer as a treatment or breathing therapy. Doctors often recommend nebulizers for people who may have difficulty using inhalers, such as children, older adults, and people on ventilators.
A nebulizer transforms the liquid medicine into a breathable mist to inhale it into your lungs. Home nebulizer comes in a pocket-sized (run on batteries) and also a large size that meant to sit on a table and plug into a wall.
How to use Nebulizers at home?
1. Wash your hands properly and place the correct dose of liquid medicine in the nebulizer medicine cup.
2. Now, attach the top portion of the nebulizer medicine cup and connect the face mask to the top.
3. Connect one end of the tubing to the air compressor and the other end to the medicine cup.
4. Turn on the compressor and breathe normally. Make sure to sit comfortably on a chair.
5. Continue the treatment until the medication finishes in the cup. It takes around 5 to 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the compressor.
Portable oxygen cylinder: Another recommended medical device at home is a Portable oxygen cylinder. The oxygen cylinder provides supplemental oxygen to maintain aerobic metabolism during patient transportation.
A portable oxygen cylinder contains medical grade oxygen (99% or better), which is compressed into a cylinder to 2,000- 3,000 PSI. The size of the oxygen cylinder varies, and you can buy the one based on your daily activities. It weighs 3-20 pounds so you can carry it.
How to use Portable oxygen cylinder at home?
Before using the portable oxygen cylinder, make sure the flow regulator knob is at “zero” and T-handle is tight.
1. Place the cylinder wrench on the cylinder’s on/off valve, located at the top of the cylinder.
2. Open the valve by turning it counterclockwise one full turn.
3. Adjust the flow regulator knob to the flow rate your doctor prescribed.
4. Connect the breathing tube to the nipple adaptor on the regulator.
Steam inhaler: Steam inhalation is one of the most used remedies to open the nasal passages and get relief from the cold or sinus infection. The home medical device that is steam inhalers has now replaced the traditional method of bowl steaming of hot water.
Various steam inhalers are now available in the market, which are very effective for inhalation during cold or breathing disorders. You can use them for aromatherapy, respiratory ailment therapy, nose, and throat treatment.
How to use Steam inhaler at home?
The Steam inhaler comes with a main unit, a nasal mask, a face mask, and a measuring cup.
1. Pour some water with the help of a measuring cup into the container and plug the device into the power outlet.
2. Let the water heats until the steam is generated. Once the steam is generated, the device will automatically turn off, and you can take steam.
3. The steam is then inhaled through a mouthpiece.
Air purifier /humidifier: Typically, every home must have atleast two devices to deal with the impure pollutant components that are Air purifier and Humidifier. These pollutants often cause asthma attacks, sinus, or some allergic problems.
Also, the low humidity levels at home cause nosebleeds, dry skin, and lips, etc. To deal with these, Air purifier/humidifier combos are devices that purify and humidify the air at the same time.
Summing up:
Having medical equipment at home can prevent you from various diseases at an early stage. So, keep these medical equipment handy at home and medical centers to handle medical emergencies.
