Health? Yes, please!
How we can track our body ourselves with health tests
Health is the new megatrend. Fitness exercises, resilience, and conscious nutrition have been defining the zeitgeist of our society for years. Since the Coronapandemic the health consciousness of the Germans risen further and it has becomeclear: There is nothing more important than health.
Therefore, we pay more attention to our own well-being, take responsibility for our health, and try to better understand our body and mind. Preventive measures, check-ups, and medical tests are the key to detecting diseases at an early stage, getting to the bottom of the causes of complaints, while keeping an eye on relevant reference values.
With the help of modern medicine and its latest technologies, we can self-track and check our bodyand state of health at any time.
Laboratory values: This is what our blood count tells us
In a way, our blood is a reflection of our health. Therefore, the determination of the blood count is performed as part of many routine examinations to check our general constitution. However, even outside of these routine checks, blood tests are often performed to find the causes of specific ailments or to uncover underlying diseases.
This is because modern laboratory tests not only provide information about current inflammation levels associated with acute diseases but also about the general ratio of our blood cells, the body’s own hormone balance, the concentration of our nutrients, and the coagulation status of our blood. In particular, the following laboratory values are frequently collected:
1. Health awareness tests
Nutrient deficiency
From a nutritional point of view, the determination of nutrients and vitamins in the blood count is interesting, for example, to obtain initial indications of iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, or folic acid deficiency.
Hormone status
To clarify hormonal disorders, the hormone level in the blood can be measured. The measurement of hormone concentrations is particularly relevant during menopause, in the case of cycle disorders, in the case of an unfulfilled desire to have children, or in the case of thyroid disorders.
2. Acute tests and diseases
Corona test
The corona test is used to detect corona dysfunction and can be performed by nasal swab.
Infectious diseases
Respiratory diseases can be tested, for example, by a throat swab. A breath test is performed for Helicobacter infection, which is also common and can cause gastritis.
Thyroid function
Iodine deficiency, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and thyroid cancer can affect the thyroid gland. However, an unhealthy lifestyle with constant stress can also have an unfavorable effect and trigger symptoms. By blood sampling, the thyroid function or the TSH value can be be checked and an over or underfunction detected.
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is an umbrella term for various metabolic diseases. What they all have in common is that they lead to elevated blood glucose levels because the patients have a deficiency of the hormone insulin and/or the insulin effect is reduced. This can be done by a blood test and the collection of the HbA1c value can be reviewed.
3. Precautionary tests
Tumor marker
Because certain proteins (glycoproteins) are produced more frequently in some cancers, blood tests can be used to diagnose cancer at an early stage.
Coagulation disorder
Intact blood clotting is vital. Therefore, clotting values are also determined with each blood count to protect the body from potential bleeding or blood loss.
Dyslipidemia
To determine blood lipid levels, the laboratory determines total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. According to these results, dietary or lifestyle changes can be advised.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis (bone loss) is a disease in which the bones become porous and break easily. By measuring pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline (so-called crosslinks) in the urine or type I collagen telopeptides in the blood, increased bone loss can be detected at an early stage
4. Tests for immune status
Vaccination status
Vaccinations not only protect against many pathogens when traveling but adequate vaccination protection is also recommended for children and adults at home. A blood test can be used to find out whether there is still sufficient vaccination protection. In addition, checking vaccination status can also avoid vaccinations that may not be needed.
Antibodies against Corona
The Corona Antibody Test indicates whether you have an immune response to a Corona vaccination or have already survived an infection with the COVID-19 virus. A blood sample is required for this purpose.
5. Tests for STDs/STDs
Many sexually transmitted diseases (such as syphilis, HIV, or hepatitis) can be detected by a blood test. In contrast, urine tests or swabs are needed to identify other common STDs (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, or herpes).
Intolerance tests: detect allergies and intolerances
Nowadays, more and more people choose a special diet because they suspect they suffer from a food intolerance. On the one hand, the number of allergies and intolerances is increasing more and more, on the other hand, lactose and gluten-free diets have established themselves as a trend in recent years. In order to recognize whether an allergy or intolerance is actually behind the alleged complaints or whether it is merely a nocebo effect, a specific diagnosis must be carried out.
Lactose intolerance and fructose intolerance can be detected by a simple breath test. Other food intolerances and allergies, on the other hand, are diagnosed via stool samples, blood tests, and skin tests.
In any case, the symptoms must first be described by a physician, then the allergy tests must be carried out, and then the results must be evaluated in order to obtain indications of a potential intolerance.
Self-Check: Digitization as a bridge between doctor, patient and laboratory
Thanks to modern analysis tools, we gain a comprehensive insight into our bodies, can identify diseases even before they break out, and to a certain extent take our health into our own hands. Learning more about ourselves takes some time, money, and nerves. Regular doctor’s visits, appointments and waiting times often put a stop to our motivation.
In general, while we are willing to take responsibility for our own health, we want support in the form of easy low-threshold access to testing, low cost, ease of appointments and availability, and digital technologies to help people do so.
To minimize communication channels and make information directly accessible, for example, new apps represent a smart solution. These act as a bridge between the doctor, the laboratory, the health insurance company, and the patient, resulting in major time savings for all instances. And time can save lives in medicine.
This is why the German government is also committed to the digitization of the healthcare sector and has passed several important laws in recent years (such as the Digital Care Act or the Hospital Futures Act) for financial support and official use of health apps and comparable technologies.
A future-oriented solution for health testing is offered by Probatix. By creating a digital testing infrastructure, this software offers users the ability to have health tests mapped in perspective. As a result, laboratory and test center staff benefit just as much as test subjects from faster and more secure data transmission.
After the initial on-site examination, the patient can retrieve his or her medical data via QR code on the go at any time. This eliminates the need for telephone or in-person follow-up appointments. This gives medical staff more time for other tasks and gives patients immediate access to their results: Quickly, directly, and everywhere.
With Probatix, people can once again take responsibility for their own bodies and flexibly track their health anytime, anywhere. Probatix strengthens prevention as well as early detection of diseases through smart software solutions.
Particularly through their diagnostics management software, they contribute to the low-threshold offering and promote new approaches to care as well as the digitization of the German healthcare system.
Newsletter subscription
