Top 10 medical/health iOS apps

When it comes to medical/health apps, weight loss and pregnancy applications seem all the rage. However, there is, of course, more to your health than losing weight and getting pregnant. Check out our list of apps that will help you keep track of your health, some in very specific ways and others in general.

1. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock - $0.99 (approx Rs. 54)

Wake up when it’s the right time for you

Sleep is important. What’s also important is waking up at the right moment so you actually feel well rested. We have numerous sleep cycles while we rest and this app helps wake you up at the correct moment in a sleep cycle. The way it works is you set a time by which you must be awake. The app then uses the accelerometer of your iPhone to guage your sleep cycle and make notes. It will wake you up at the point of your lightest sleep right before your set alarm. That way, you are not disturbed out of a deep sleep and you won’t have to wake up groggy. There are specific instructions that you must follow while using the app like where to place it and how to avoid the accelerometer from picking up the wrong signals.

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2. WebMD - Free

An encyclopedia for your iPhone

WebMD can give you a substantial number of answers to your health related questions even before you visit a doctor. Use this app to look up what your symptoms mean, read posts on various ailments and also double check your doctor’s verdict with the app. While WebMD is in no way meant to replace an actual doctor’s advice; since the majority of the articles are written by doctors, it serves as a good place to start gathering information and to get more information after you’ve been to a doctor. First aid information is available offline in the app, which is good when you have an emergency and no internet. Furthermore, you can save drugs and conditions that are relevant to you.

3. Color Blind Test - Free

Test your eyes through your phone

There is a large population of colour blind people who don’t know that they’re colour blind. One of the more common types of colour blindness is red-green colour blindness which makes it difficult for a lot of drivers on the road. With the Color Blind Test app, you can save yourself a trip to the opthalmologist (unless, of course, the app tells you that you are colour blind, in which case you need to go to the doctor for a confirmation and advice on how you can live with colour blindness) and test yourself at home. The app currently only has red-green colour blindness tests so other forms of colour blindness do require a visit to the eye doctor.

4. iDream - Free

Track your dreams

If you believe that your dreams reflect your sub-conscious, this app will be interesting for you. The app explores common themes like shark attacks, long corridors and running that occur in dreams and offer you an explanation as to what they mean. The app has a journal section which asks you to write your dream down and then picks up keywords in your dream to offer you an interpretation. The journal section is password protected so only you can see what you’ve written. The downside is that while the app is free, you can only access the meat of the app, the interpreter, through an in app purchase of $0.99 (Rs. 54).

5. Drugs and Medications - $0.99 (approx Rs. 54)

Do you know what your drug has?

Buying medicines is far from an informative process. Doctors don’t always fully explain side effects and contraindications of drugs they prescribe and not all drugs come with information packets. Drugs and Medications may not give you the brand names of the drugs you’ve been precribed because those vary by country, but the app does provide information on the actual chemical constituents of the drugs you’re taking. The majority of the content in this application can be accessed offline and is therefore helpful in emergency scenarios.

6. iBP Blood Pressure - $0.99 (approx Rs. 54)

Track your blood pressure changes

No, your iPhone is not a sphygmomanometer. It cannot measure your blood pressure. With some external equipment though, you can keep track of your blood pressure and changes that might be important. The app also provides you with graphs for weeks, months and years and gives you the highs and lows that you might experience. The app also calculates your Mean Arterial Pressure and Pulse Pressure and emails any results you might want to your doctor.

7. Dental Expert - Free

Know your mouth

Heavens forbid, let’s not forget our mouths. Dental Expert not only provides you with information on issues like gum disease and proper dental care, it also includes the aesthetic angle to dentistry providing you with information on improving your smile. The app also prepares you for any dental procedures you may undergo, for example, the most painful of them all - the root canal. Furthermore, Dental Expert has a section on geriatric dental care so you might benefit from this section if you regularly interact with older family.

8. iHeadache - Free

Know your headaches

There’s no questioning it - migraines are awful. While headaches and migraines are two different afflictions, the app helps you keep track of both and helps you realize potential triggers for each affliction, as well as the medications you might take that help and don’t help. The benefit with this app is that you can’t always go to a doctor right when you have the headache, and maybe even not for a little while after it. The app will help you jot down the details of your headache right after you have it so your memory of it is still fresh.

9. Muscle and Bone Anatomy 3D - $4.99 (approx Rs. 272)

Your body in 3D

This app is actually aimed at healthcare professionals (and is also only for iPads) but it’s fun and informational even for those of us who don’t know every medical word like “Lingissimus”. The app provides you with a 3D model of the body through which you can see the skeletal and muscular framework of the human body. It’s a nice visual way to know what your body is made of and hey, if you learn a muscle or two, good for you!

10. Anti Mosquito - Free

Antimosquito on the iPhone

This app is just for fun. The app describes itself as a sonic repeller that keeps mosquitoes and other bugs away. The app makes your phone emit a high frequency sound (ultra sound) which repels mosquitoes. Of course, it’s no substitute for mosquito repellant because you can’t sleep with your phone on your body but if you keep your phone close enough to you, the number of itches when you wake up might be low. Different regions in the world have different types of mosquitoes and these different types react differently to the same frequency. Therefore, you have to find the frequency that works best for the type of mosquito that’s most likely going to bite you.

So there you have it. While the majority of these apps are aimed at healthcare consumers and not professionals, consumers can find knowledge and benefits to having a few apps aimed at healthcare pros. Remember, having information is a crucial step to being healthy and since you’re digital, why not take advantage of all that your phone can offer you.