Christopher Ridgeway of Stone Clinical: Don’t Ignore Your Health

A great deal has been written about the fall-out from COVID-19 that isn’t specifically related to the virus. Certainly, there are mental health concerns to contend with – but there are also other physical concerns that we all need to be aware of and attuned to. As a result of fear and other factors, many people around the world have not been taking care of their standard medical appointments and tests. While there are some medical considerations that you can push off until the pandemic subsides, there are other concerns that need to be addressed.

For many people, the health threats for postponing important tests outweigh the risk of getting the coronavirus at the doctor’s office. These tests should be seen to and people need to know when it’s time to visit their doctor.

Certainly, if you have cancer or need a cancer check-up, you need to go to the doctor. Similarly, if you have symptoms that could be a heart attack or a stroke, you need to get those checked out immediately. If you wrestle with a chronic disease, you should be in touch with your doctor and getting checked regularly. And if you need mental health services, you should not push those off.

At the same time, there are ways for you to maintain your health while still staying at home. There are some tests that you can do at home that allow you to monitor your health, and to be in touch with your doctor only as needed. A few examples include the following:

Thyroid: There are at-home tests that you can take to check on your thyroid level. These are done with a blood sample and the test will come with information about the health issues if you end up being too low or too high.

Cholesterol: Many people aren’t eating as well since they’ve been home for the last year, and it shows in their diet and their weight. A cholesterol test at home can help you to know if you’re in the safe ranges as they check your LDL, HDL, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. To do this test, you will take and then send a blood prick sample.

HbA1c: If you have diabetes, or you are pre-diabetic, you should be monitoring your blood sugar levels with a hemoglobin A1c test. It allows you to see how your body is controlling your blood glucose levels and it looks at a 90 day range. You can do this at home with a blood prick sample.

These are a few ways to check on your health at home. But if you think that you need to see a doctor for more immediate concerns or worries – do not push it off. Get the help you need now to maintain your health, even in times of an international pandemic.