Wondering how to check BP without a machine? Read along!
To check blood pressure manually, you will need a blood pressure cuff with a squeezable balloon, a stethoscope, and a sphygmomanometer. A sphygmomanometer (also known as an aneroid meter is a number dial). If possible, take the help of your family member or friend as doing all the procedures calmly would be a little tricky.
Follow the steps mentioned below to check blood pressure manually.
- Step-1: Make yourself comfortable and keep your arm straight and place it on a table.
- Step-2: Wrap the cuff around your upper arm and press the balloon to inflate the cuff. Use the number on the aneroid monitor to inflate the cuff. This inflation should be about 20-30 Hg than your normal blood pressure. In case you are unaware of your normal blood pressure, consult your doctor about the correct inflation level per your health condition.
- Step-3: After you have inflated the cuff at a correct level, make sure to place a stethoscope at the crease of your elbow (where the artery is located). Do not forget to check the stethoscope’s efficiency so that you can hear pulse rate clearly. The testing process is easy, and you can do it by tapping on it. Make sure you are using a top notch stethoscope and its upper part seats correctly in your eardrums.
- Step-4: Slowly deflate the balloon once you can hear the sound of first blood flowing. Here, remember the number as it is your systolic pressure. Continue deflating the balloon until the rhythm stops. Once the rhythm stops, note down the number, which is your diastolic pressure.
You can record the measurement by putting systolic over diastolic, for instance, 118/85.
As the most common ways to measure BP levels are now clear to you, let’s learn a new method.