Manual Blood Pressure Monitor

Laerning how to use manual blood pressure monitor may take Sometimes, if you have been enamored with all things digital that you forget the good old days when your hands enjoyed manual labor. Well, of course, digital is good but there are times when we realize the use of manual things, say, when the electricity is out or when the battery is shot or when the electronic components are going haywire.

This is the case with the manual blood pressure monitor, or sphygmomanometer, which may have been shoved into the dark recesses of your closet.

What It Is

There are four main parts of the manual sphygmomanometer - the inflatable arm cuff, the rubber tube and the gauge that displays the blood pressure on the systolic and diastolic levels. Using the sphygmomanometer will take a few practice but it is easy once you learn it.

Basically, you wrap the inflatable cuff around your right upper arm, pump up the bulb at one end of the rubber tube, place a stethoscope on the pulse and then listen to the blood pumping through the artery. Said sounds will give you the idea of when to record the systolic and diastolic levels.

What to Consider in Buying

The choice of a manual blood pressure monitor is very important as your doctor will want near-accurate readings. Of course, the main purpose is to monitor your response to the various prescribed treatments for hypertension or hypotension like dietary modifications, lifestyle changes, and medications.

With that being said, the following are the criteria for choosing the right manual sphygmomanometer:

* Cuff Size - There is no excuse not to get the right cuff size even when you have large arms since many cuff sizes are available in the market today. Plus, there is also the matter of the right cuff size being the most important factor in getting accurate blood pressure readings to underline its importance.

* Display - You should be able to read the numbers on the display gauge. Otherwise, you might get cross-eyed one too many times, record the wrong numbers and, hence, get the improper treatment protocol.

* Accuracy - But of course, you must ensure that the manual blood pressure monitor is accurate. You should check it against the sphygmomanometer found in your doctor's office as well as having it calibrated yearly. You should also do your research by asking your doctor for the most reliable equipment available.

* Cost - Unfortunately, your health insurance will not cover the cost of the manual sphygmomanometer. Then again, it is very cheap with prices starting at $25 so there is no need to worry about health insurance.

What to Do for Proper Use

But the right choice in a sphygmomanometer will be in vain if and when you do not know how to properly use it in the first place. The following tips should help:

* Make sure that the cuff is snug but not tight around your arm. * Wait about an hour before taking your blood pressure levels in the morning or before you exercise.

* Avoid stimulants like alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes as well as food at least 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure.

Indeed, the measure of a sphygmomanometer is not so much in its cost and features. Your manual blood pressure monitor will work just as fine as its digital counterpart if and when you know how to use it.

Go to Blood-Pressure-Chart from Manual Blood Pressure Monitor