Role of Diagnostic Tests in Keeping Kolkata Healthy

The Indian population is increasing rapidly, and people are moving towards the big cities. Kolkata is one of such cities that is growing at a good pace, putting a lot of pressure on the healthcare facilities of the city. More people means more health concerns means more demand for innovative healthcare packages and facilities. Diagnostic tests and health checkup packages are some of the services that are facilitating the people of Kolkata. The frequency of lifestyle diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, has surged in recent years. 

Nowadays everyone is struggling with some health problems regarding the environment, pollution, climate change, and poor lifestyle choices. Regular screening and early detection become crucial. Diagnostic tests can help detect these diseases in the early stages and improve treatment and recovery results.

Allergy test in Kolkata - 

Allergy tests are performed to identify and confirm the substance that triggers an allergic reaction. The substances that trigger symptoms (itchiness, rashes, shortness of breath, etc.) are usually harmless things commonly found in the environment, like dust bites, mold, fury pet dander, bee stings, peanuts, soya, and seafood, are called allergens in medical terms. Healthcare professionals perform an allergy test to confirm the substance that is causing the symptoms. The Healthcare provider checks your body’s response to the potential allergen in a controlled environment.

Types of allergy tests in Kolkata - 

Depending on how severe your symptoms are, your healthcare provider chooses a suitable method to identify your possible allergen.

•    Skin prick test - In this method, a healthcare provider uses a thin needle to scratch the outermost layer of skin on the forearm and allow the potential allergen to trigger the reaction. Or he may drop a potential allergen on the arm and use a device to scratch and lightly puncture the targeted area. Usually, the symptoms appear within 15 minutes.

•    Intradermal skin test - This test is often used when your skin prick test does not confirm the allergens. Your provider directly injected the potential allergen into the outermost layer of skin called the epidermis. This test is performed to identify the allergens present in the air, medications, and insect stings.

•    Patch test - During this test, your provider uses few a drops of allergen onto your skin and covers it with a patch or a bandage for at least 48 hours; you carry on with your day. And after the given time, he removes the patch and looks for any sign of rash or other symptoms.

•    Blood (IgE) test: In this test, your provider collects your blood sample and sends it to the lab. The lab adds an allergen to the sample to measure the level of immunoglobulin E (IgE, an antibody involved in triggering allergic reactions). A total IgE blood test measures the total amount of IgE antibody in your body, and a specific IgE blood test is performed to measure the level of IgE antibody in response to a single allergen.

•    Oral challenge test: This test is strictly performed under the supervision of an experienced allergist. In this test, people eat food items with a small amount of allergen in them to observe the allergic reaction. Medical supervision is a must during this test to control any symptoms that may develop during the process.

Blood test in Kolkata - 

Blood tests are one of the most common forms of medical tests. They are often used as a part of routine physical examinations if you have certain symptoms. There are different kinds of blood tests used to measure the different components of blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, electrolytes, proteins, antibodies, hormones, and different kinds of minerals in the blood.

A healthcare professional may ask for a blood test for the following reasons - 
•    If you have certain symptom that indicates specific diseases or damage of an organ.
•    As a part of a routine health checkup.
•    Common blood tests, such as complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and basic metabolic panel, are performed before a screening test.
•    If you have a medical condition that happens because of mutation (gene change)
•    Blood tests are often performed to monitor the body’s response to existing treatment.

Full body checkup in Kolkata - 

If you are opting for a routine physical checkup, then choosing a full body checkup is a better choice than going for any particular diagnostic test. A full checkup is a set of tests related to every major organ and diagnoses the most common diseases. A full body checkup has multiple benefits -

•    A full body checkup increases your life span.
•    It detects any underlying or developing diseases in the early stages.
•    It saves you high-cost hospital bills. 
•    Early detection means sufficient time for treatment and recovery.