We are a world that innovates and we want to continue innovating, provided it makes us feel more comfortable and helps us learn about our existence and world. That is what science has been helping us do, and this isn't going to be left behind in the health world. Talking about innovations and ease, what do you think about syringes and needles to collect blood samples to perform a test?
A lot of us are Trypanophobic, and would not want anything to pierce into our skin, and a needle isn't even an option. While some people enjoy being poked to get blood samples, others would avoid a blood test because of needles. If you are scared of the needle, then be calm because it is needless to worry about what scientists are already working hard and thinking through needle eyes outside the needle to make diagnostics easy without that piercing pin.
Scientists are looking at other secreting areas in our bodies that could help us with diagnosing our health. Secretions such as saliva, earwax, tears, and even breath are being considered, so join me as I go through these secretions and how they can be of great help with diagnosing.
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When we want to analyze bodily fluids, Saliva isn't new in this regard, although blood is the first fluid you would pick. Saliva actually has the same component as blood because it is partly filtered blood plasma, making it a very good pick for diagnosis without a needle. Saliva just like blood has antibodies, enzymes, and other components that can be used to make a diagnosis. The acidity and the amount of saliva made are very important when making a diagnosis and it is easier to collect, compared to blood. In this past, the dilution of saliva was a concern but in recent times with improved technology, saliva testing is now viable and cheap.
Saliva has been a staple in diagnostic testing, but blood remains the primary choice. However, it's essential to recognize that saliva is partly filtered blood plasma, containing similar components and making it a valuable alternative for diagnosis. Saliva contains antibodies, enzymes, and other vital components that can help detect various health conditions. With advancements in technology, saliva testing has become more accurate and cost-effective, eliminating previous concerns about its dilution. Scientist can use the glucose in sweat to correlate the amount of glucose in the body, also checking lactate from sweat is used to identify is a person is recieving enough oxygen or not.
Breath is another way to be able to diagnose humans. While we breath carbon dioxide, we also breath volatile organic compounds (VOC) which are by-products of bodily contents, and breath based VOCs analysis is now being used for diagnosis. Diagnosing with VOCs is a great way, as the VOCs in our body changes as our healt changes for instance, when there is an inflammation, the body produces nitric oxide to combat it and that is a way to diagnose patiants with chronic inflammation such as Asthma. To analyse the breath, gas chromatography, or mass spectrometry can be used.
Similar to sweat is Tears. Often associated with emotions, tears are also a rich source of diagnostic potential. Made from blood plasma and released by the lacrimal gland, tears have a composition similar to blood. Tear analysis can help identify glucose levels and diagnose diabetes. In an exciting development, "Tearexo," scientists have been using tears to diagnose breast cancer by detecting cancer exosomes secreted and passed into tears.
The earwax can also be used to diagnose. It will tell everything that has happened in the person, as well as the environment of the person. It contain VOCs which is accumulated and can be used to identify the history of a person health within a few days or weeks.
These innovative approaches to diagnostics shows that we are on the cusp of transforming traditional medical practices. By utilizing these bodily secretions for diagnosis, we can eliminate the fear of needles, making health monitoring more accessible, non-invasive, and as accurate as blood tests.
Reference
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773554/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2741028/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369929/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8141093/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8840008/
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/sweat-electrolytes-test
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/07/220720084252.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9041847/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7052688/