7 Types of Must-Have Home-Use Medical Devices

A medical device is an instrument used to monitor, diagnose, mitigate, or prevent disease. Home-use medical devices are simple healthcare appliances that do not require a clinical setting to function. These home-use medical devices are usually small, portable, and easy to use. The users entirely or partly manage them, and sometimes users may require instructions from a professional for safer and more effective usage. Some devices are used by people with chronic conditions and their caregivers at home. However, other devices are used frequently to keep track of health status. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure” there are some home devices that one must possess to maintain good health. Following is the list of some must-have devices:

1. Thermometer
2. Blood glucose monitor
3. Pulse oximeter
4. Blood pressure monitor
5. Home Use Oxygen Concentrator
6. Face Masks & Rapid Antigen Test Kit
7. Nebulizer

So let’s look into each of these, and I will explain why should you have these devices at home!

1. Thermometer

You all must be familiar with this simple yet essential tool. We can use a thermometer for different purposes. The thermometer used for taking the body temperatures is different from the oven thermometer or the ones that record room temperature. So in this section, I will elaborate on the usage of healthcare thermometers, their features, and their price.

Benefits of Thermometer

Fever is relatively easy to spot. However, measuring the intensity of the fever is not that simple. Long-lasting fever has harmful effects on health. Especially for children, it can be pretty dangerous to have a high fever for longer. Having a thermometer at home makes it convenient to know when to see a doctor. 

Thermometers also proved to be a crucial and indispensable gadget during the COVID-19 pandemic. While having symptoms such as fever, one could avoid social contact. It also prepares for any medical intervention when needed. The fever is not a disease but often results from an underlying cause that can be more serious. Therefore, ignoring these warning signs is not advisable. It is better to take care, especially when it does not take much time to take simple temperature measurements. 

Features we may find in Various types of Thermometers

The different types of thermometers come with varying features. The ‘old-fashioned’ mercury thermometers are more common in households as they are inexpensive and more users are familiar with them. These thermometers are kept under the armpits or the tongue for some time to record the body temperature. The glass tube containing mercury is labeled with the scale. 

The modern kind of thermometer is a digital infrared thermometer. The advantage of such thermometers is that they don’t require physical contact to record the temperature. So, the pandemic led to a rapid increase in this kind of healthcare thermometer usage. Also, they have more features such as different modes of taking temperature for adults and children. These thermometers have an on/off button and some control buttons such as mode and reset options. The thermometer is held close to the forehead, then it beeps or indicates when it has recorded the temperature. You can see the temperature on the digital screen of the thermometer.

Prices

• iHealth (no-contact infrared thermometer): $29.99
• Philips (smart ear digital thermometer): $59.99
• Omron (contactless thermometer): $32.95
• KT-TP500 Forehead Thermometer: $27

2. Blood Glucose Monitor

People with diabetes regularly use glucometers or blood glucose monitors. However, the non-diabetics like me or the pre-diabetics at risk of developing diabetes also used glucometers. These devices show you the blood sugar level with a tiny prick and a drop of blood. 

Benefits

A blood glucose level in the normal range is essential for the body’s normal functioning. High blood sugar in the long term affects kidneys, vision, and cardiac output. Unfortunately, I have witnessed some cases where a person with diabetes had to amputate his leg, and another got a kidney transplant. Maybe it sounds like scaremongering, but the point is monitoring the glucose levels at home is quite critical. If the sugar level is not maintained correctly, it may result in serious health complications. 

Low sugar levels are fatal if not treated immediately when high blood sugar is dangerous in the long term. The low sugar level may result from exhaustion, dieting, or fluctuations due to diabetes. As soon as you feel dizzy or have a low body temperature, you must check your sugar level and drink something sweet. 

Besides diabetes, sugar levels are also monitored for fitness. As a non-diabetic glucometer user, I recommend having one at home.

Features

The glucometers have a tiny needle to prick the fingers and strips where we load the blood drop. The strip is adjusted on the meter, and the screen shows the results within a few seconds. This is a palm-sized device, and one can easily carry it with one. Some wearable sensors or skin patches are also available for continuous glucose monitoring.

Prices

• Bayer (blood glucose meter device): $15.39
• Abbot (100 sterile lancets for pricking): $22.00
• Dexcom (adhesive patch for continuous glucose monitoring): $24.99
• Medwish Blood Glucose Meter: $16

3. Blood Pressure Monitor

Blood pressure monitors take two measurements from the arm: systolic and diastolic pressure. 

Benefits

Variations in blood pressure occur not only due to heart conditions but also to some other reasons, such as anxiety, depression, and poor diet. Therefore, to maintain healthy blood pressure, it is essential to monitor it regularly. In addition, we often experience a severe headache or maybe a rapid heartbeat and trouble breathing, but we cannot figure out why. In such situations, it is good to check blood pressure as it is the likely cause of these symptoms.

Features

The older version of blood pressure devices was more complicated. It is coupled with a stethoscope to hear the heart sound while gradually reducing the pressure in the cuff wrapped about the arm. The analog meter would show the pressure and based on when we hear the sound; the pressure is noted down manually. 

The newer blood pressure machines are digital and user-friendly. One does not need to have a stethoscope with it. Similar to analog meters, a cuff is wrapped around the arm. A digital display is attached to it, automatically showing blood pressure measurements. It also has some additional features, such as pulse rate, which is displayed along with blood pressure. Smartwatches also made it possible to monitor blood pressure in real-time.

Prices

• OMRON 5 Series Wireless Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor: $52
• CONTEC ABPM50 Handheld Blood Pressure Monitor: $179
• Medwish Blood Pressure Monitor: $20
• Medwish Electronic Sphygmomanometer: $72

4. Pulse Oximeter

Blood oxygen levels should be maintained to prevent organ and tissue damage. Monitoring the blood oxygen levels is a step toward maintaining normal levels. Using the device, abnormally low levels can be timely diagnosed and treated. 

Features

One can simply align their finger in front of the detector to get the readings. The digital meter shows the blood oxygen level and the pulse rate. 

Prices

• CONTEC LED CMS50M Pulse Oximeter: $20
• CMI Health Rechargeable Pulse Oximeter: $170
• KT-CMS50DL Pulse Oximeter: $12
• KT-CMS60D Pulse Oximeter: $124

5. Oxygen Concentrator

The device provides extra oxygen to your lungs. 

Benefits

The device helps with breathing. If one does not get enough oxygen due to the conditions like asthma, or COVID-19, it causes damage to the brain. Oxygen concentrators are generally used as per a doctor’s prescription. 

Features

As compared to the devices mentioned earlier, it is larger. But one can quickly move it around with its wheel at the bottom, depending on the concentrator type. The concentrator filters oxygen from the room air or water. There are different adjustable settings, such as oxygen capacity, flow rate, and duration. Then, the concentrator directs the oxygen to the mask or nasal cannula.  

Prices

• Invacare Perfecto2 V 5L Oxygen Concentrator: $727
• Drive DeVilbiss 10L Compact 10 Liter Oxygen Concentrator: $1399
• 5L Oxygen Concentrator with 93% Oxygen Purity AG-D25AM: $467
• 10L Medical Grade Oxygenerator for Home and Hospital Uses AG-D2-10A : $827

6. Face Masks & Rapid Antigen Test Kit

Since the pandemic, face masks have become a lifestyle. Therefore, keeping a bag of facemasks at home is quite convenient when you go outside. Also, one can wear it at home around an infected family member. Similarly, rapid antigen kits are handy to quickly diagnose the infection. 

Benefits

Face masks prevent the transmission of infections. The rapid antigen kits are also quite helpful. Although they are less sensitive than a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, they provide a quick result to avoid further contact with the family members. Also, when we feel sick, we have less energy to go for a test, and going outside to take the test also increases the spread of infections.

Features

Antigen test kits contain a test slide, tools to take the sample, such as a swab, and a small pack of reagents. The slide has a test line and a control line. The test line indicates a positive result when it changes color. The control line indicates that the kit is functioning correctly. The sample is loaded on one side of the slide, and the lines are observed as the sample reaches the other end. 

Prices

• 3M (face masks): $8.99 - $13.87
• Kimberly (N95 class masks): $57.90
• Medline (polypropylene masks): $35.93
• 3-Ply Disposable Face Masks MDW-308: $0.03/pc
• Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test AG-ANRT002: $0.99

Where to Buy Home-Use Medical Devices Online?

We discussed a fair number of devices in this brief, haven’t we? Well, if you are worried about searching for them here and there on the web, we got you! 

Medwish is one unique online marketplace for all these home-use medical devices, the platform being one of the biggest b2b medical marketplaces. You will find all these medical devices being sold at wholesale rates here. Unlike some other e-commerce giants, they are always in-store at Medwish. Oh, and the delivery is pretty quick as well! On an optimistic note that you have found what you were looking for from this brief, I bid you farewell from this space!