How to use a tonometer?

Having a home tonometer is very useful. With its help you can determine why the head is aching or dizzy and take appropriate measures in time. But it's not enough to have a tonometer, you need to know how to use it.

How to use an electronic tonometer?

Modern electronic tonometers are very easy to use:

1. Put the cuffs on your arm and make sure it's level with the heart.
2. Press the button to start the measurement.
3. Expect the result that appears on the screen.
4. Repeat the measurement several times to calculate the average value.

As you can see, the electronic tonometer will do everything himself - pump and air the cuff and mark the upper and lower indications of blood pressure. By the way, this instruction, how to use a tonometer, is also suitable for an electronic wrist cuff. The main thing is that the wrist with the cuff should be at the level of the heart.

Manual Tonometer

It would seem that if modern and convenient electronic blood pressure monitors are invented, why do doctors often use old tonometers? The fact is that a mechanical manual tonometer, although less convenient, but more reliable in use. He does not have a battery, it's almost impossible to break it. The only difficulty can arise when you first measure pressure, when you do not yet know how to use a manual tonometer. But there is nothing complicated in this:

1. Having taken a comfortable position and relaxed, you need to raise the sleeves of clothing, put your hand so that the elbow was at the level of the heart and put a cuff on it (3-4 cm above the elbow fold).
2. Next, you must attach the stethoscope to the center of the inner elbow fold, put it on your ears.
3. The cuff should be inflated up to 200-200 mm Hg. Art. or higher if you suspect a higher pressure.
4. Approximately at a speed of 2-3 mm per second, we start to lower the air and listen to the blows (pulse).
5. The first stroke will mean the systolic (upper) blood pressure.
6. When the strokes cease to be heard, this will be an indicator of diastolic (ie, lower) blood pressure.
7. For greater accuracy, repeat the procedure 1-2 more times. The average value and will be an indicator of your blood pressure.