Let’s be honest here, a home thyroid test is a whole lot easier than a costly and time-consuming trip to the doctor’s surgery. No time wasted waiting for the physician; no embarrassing questions to answer or for that matter, no great shock when the bill comes. Just head for the section of your local pharmacy, or easier still go on line, purchase your thyroid test kits and you are good to go.
With medical costs going through the roof and ever increasing concerns about personal privacy, more and more Americans are taking advantage of products designed to help monitor existing conditions or to help diagnose new ones. Pregnancy kits for use at home and blood pressure kits have been around for a good few years now, as have blood glucose monitors, but the new breed of home test kits have an amazing array of conditions covered. Two common conditions now covered are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. With the price of a hospital test well above the thousand dollar mark, that’s without all the inconvenience, time off work or the travel involved, you can see why these home thyroid tests have really grabbed sufferers attention.
So they are cheaper but are they reliable, accurate and most importantly safe?
There has been some concerns expressed by doctors regarding the use of these tests. Delayed or improper health care are two reasons cited by the professionals as a reason not to allow such testing, along with results that are misinterpreted. The results, though thorough and accurate, really do need to be discussed with your health professional or even with the medical professional the test kit manufacturers make available to you. Only after such consultation should any decision be made regarding treatment or medication.
It is indeed a possibility that tests may be administered wrong and results even misunderstood, which can also happen when taking tests ordered by your doctor, but the vast majority of people, if concerned enough to take such a test, will not take any chances with their health. If the resulting news, gleaned from the test results, is bad then they will undoubtedly seek a second opinion.
Given the accuracy of a home thyroid test many will see thyroid test kits as an out and out replacement for more traditional medical tests but it pays to remember these are simply at home thyroid tests and professional medical opinion should always be sought. You can find out the available thyroid tests for use at home by clicking the link to my overcoming thyroid disorders blog below.
Home health tests should be used with great care and should never be considered as a replacement for proper medical care. If you are seriously concerned about your health and well-being, it is fine to practice a bit of do-it-yourself medicine… as long as you get a second opinion.