Fertility awareness (also called natural family planning or periodic abstinence) involves monitoring the many changes your body goes through during a menstrual cycle. This information can help you identify when you ovulate and can be used to time sex

[Read the Article]

A stool analysis is a series of tests done on a stool (feces) sample to help diagnose certain conditions affecting the digestive tract. These conditions can include infection (such as from parasites, viruses, or bacteria), poor nutrient absorption, o

[Read the Article]

A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood. Glucose comes from carbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use and control the amount

[Read the Article]

An ear examination is a thorough evaluation of the ears that is done to screen for ear problems, such as hearing loss, ear pain, discharge, lumps, or objects in the ear. An ear examination can detect problems in the ear canal, eardrum, and the middle

[Read the Article]

A test for catecholamines measures the amount of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine produced by nerve tissue (including the brain) and the inner part of the adrenal glands. The test for catecholamines is most often done on a sample of urine co

[Read the Article]

An electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) is usually done by a health professional, and the resulting EKG is interpreted by a doctor, such as an internist, family medicine doctor, electrophysiologist, cardiologist, anesthesiologist, or surgeon. You may receiv

[Read the Article]

Esophagus tests measure muscle pressure and movement, coordination, and strength of the tube that connects the throat to the stomach (esophagus). It tests how well the ring of muscles (sphincters) at the top and bottom of the esophagus work. See an i

[Read the Article]

A home ear examination is a visual inspection of the ear canal and eardrum using an instrument called an otoscope. An otoscope is a handheld instrument with a light, a magnifying lens, and a funnel-shaped viewing piece with a narrow, pointed end call

[Read the Article]

Cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) measure the amount of this protein in the blood. CA-125 is found on the surface of many ovarian cancer cells. It also can be found in other cancers and in small amounts in normal tissue. CA-125 is used as a tumor marker?w

[Read the Article]

Vision tests check many different functions of the eye. The tests measure your ability to see details at near and far distances, check for gaps or defects in your field of vision, and evaluate your ability to see different colors. Visual acui

[Read the Article]

A total serum protein test measures the total amount of protein in the blood. Two major groups of proteins in the blood are albumin and globulin. Albumin is made mainly in the liver. It helps keep the blood from leaking out of blood vessels. A

[Read the Article]

A breath alcohol test is an estimate of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at the time of the test. It is measured as a percentage (millimoles per liter (mmol/L)) of alcohol in the blood. You can measure your own breath alcohol level with a simp

[Read the Article]

  Amniocentesis is usually done between weeks 15 and 18 to determine whether your baby has certain types of birth defects. Amniocentesis can also determine the sex of your baby. Amniotic fluid contains cells that have been shed by your develop

[Read the Article]

A hearing (audiometric) test is part of an ear examination that evaluates a person's ability to hear by measuring the ability of sound to reach the brain. Sounds are actually vibrations of different frequencies and intensities in the air around us;

[Read the Article]

Allergy testing involves having a skin or blood test to determine what substance, or allergen, may trigger an allergic response in a person. Skin tests are usually done because they are rapid, reliable, and generally less expensive than blood tests,

[Read the Article]

A barium enema, or lower gastrointestinal (GI) examination, is an X-ray examination of the large intestine (colon and rectum). The test is used to help diagnose diseases and other problems that affect the large intestine. To make the intestine visibl

[Read the Article]

A human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test detects antibodies to HIV in the blood. This determines whether an HIV infection is present (HIV-positive). HIV infects white blood cells called CD4+ cells, which are part of the body's immune system that hel

[Read the Article]