If you’ve ever been to the doctor’s office for a checkup, then you probably know that getting an x-ray is not the easiest thing in the world. Most health care facilities don’t have special x-ray machines and only provide standard images of your body. Most x-ray images are black and white, which means they don’t show much detail. To get a more in-depth view, most doctors will ask you to come to their office for an x-ray test. However, if your doctor has recommended that you get an x-ray for some reason or another, then there may be alternatives available at home. And luckily, most of those alternatives are relatively easy to do.
What is an x-ray?
An x-ray, or x-ray image, is a way to create a picture of your bones and internal organs without being inside of you. In the past, x-rays were the only way doctors could see inside the body. But as technology and doctors’ techniques have advanced, more advanced imaging methods and techniques have been developed. So while an x-ray is an old-school imaging technique, it’s still an essential part of a doctor’s diagnostic toolbox. The x-rays that are used for imaging are produced when a low-energy beam of electromagnetic radiation is emitted from a special source (such as a machine or a film). When this beam hits your body, it creates an image of the tissues and organs in your body by scattering and absorbing some of the radiation.
How to take an in-home x-ray
If you’ve decided that you want to take an in-home x-ray, then you’ll first need to find someone who is willing to take the x-ray for you. You can rent a machine or use a disposable camera to take the picture. But the most common and safe option is to find an agency which can send health professionals with their own equipment to perform Xray at home.
This option is not just safer but also cost effective — you won’t have to buy equipment yourself or rent it, both of which cost a lot more and take more time relatively.
The important thing is that the professional visiting your home for the test is fully qualified and has the equipment used to produce an in-home x-ray. Next, you’ll need to determine what type of x-ray you want to take. You’re probably most concerned about the bones in your spine. So you should take a back x-ray. You’ll also want to take an x-ray of any joints that you’ve had repaired. So for example, if you’ve had hip replacement surgery, you should take an x-ray of your hip.
Always remember to also include a blood test when you’re getting an X-ray done as it would give your doctor more insights into your overall health and may help in the discovery of underlying problems which you and your healthcare professional do not know yet.
How often can you get a home x-ray?
The idea behind taking an in-home x-ray is to create a detailed image of your bones and internal organs that can then be sent to your doctor’s office for a more comprehensive look. This can be done a few different ways. You can schedule an appointment with your doctor and have them take an x-ray for you. You can call around to local imaging centers and see if they have any cancellations. Or you can take x-rays at home on a regular basis and send them to your doctor’s office when you’re asked. This can be a good option if you’re worried about taking tests that are too often. Your doctor may not be too keen on taking daily x-rays, but if they see that it’s helping them catch a potential issue earlier, they may be willing to do it.
After your in-home x-ray, what happens next?
Once your in-home x-ray is ready, you’ll have a few options as to how to get the images. You can either have your doctor’s office review the images and send them to a specialist, or have them printed out and send those to a specialist. Alternatively, you can have your doctor’s office contact a third-party company to review the images and send them directly to the specialist. These companies often charge a fee for reviewing the images, and they’re not required to provide the images to your doctor’s office if they choose not to. If you want to take the images and send them yourself, then you can try contacting your doctor’s office and asking them to mail the images to a specific location. This will ensure that they get to the specialist who is appropriate for the issue they’re treating.
Bottom line
To get an in-home x-ray, you’ll first want to figure out where you can take the x-ray. You can try contacting your local university or community-college imaging center, your state agency that regulates health care, or your local hospital. You can also try contacting your local scanner provider. If you don’t have any of those options and have to take your x-ray at a convenience store or other local location, you can try contacting your local health department.
