It’s a simple test you can do right now, and it could save your life.According to a Yale News report, aortic aneurysms are the 13th most common cause of U.S. deaths. They kill about 10,000 people each year and affect adults of all ages.
But a Yale study found that you can conduct your own test using the thumb and palm of one hand to assess your risk of having an aortic aneurysm.
Just stick out your hand like you’re telling someone to stop, and then see how far your thumb can stretch across your palm. If your thumb reaches all the way past the far side of your palm, you may be at risk.That test saved the lives of Heather and Crystal Gagnon.
A couple of years ago, Heather Gagnon had some health issues and got checked by Dr. John Elefteriades, an aorta specialist at Yale New Haven Hospital.
“So he says, ‘Sit up on the table.’ and he goes, ‘I’m going to do a test on you.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, what?’ and he goes, ‘Just do this,’” Heather explained, holding up her hand and stretching her thumb completely across her palm.
“He goes, ‘Yup, that’s a strong positive,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘What is this?’”The thumb-palm test is all about collagen, which holds our organs together. If your thumb reaches all the way past the far side of your palm, the collagen in your hand may be deficient.