Early signs of health problems can be laid bare when there’s regular health screening. This increases the chances of getting the best treatment possible. Determining how often you need health checks includes your lifestyle choices, family history, health, and age.
The importance of regular health screening
Even if you’re healthy, seeing the doctor regularly is crucial. It helps you achieve the following:
- Vaccination update
- Keeping up a healthy lifestyle
- Evaluate any chances of disease showing up later in life
- Identify present or developing health issues
During routine medical care, health checks are done. These checks are done by the doctor when you’re seeing them for a different condition. The doctor will mention how frequent you need these checks.
Health checks also help you make necessary changes to your lifestyle.
At-home health checks
The following areas can be examined at home to know if you’re in good health condition:
- Alcohol: Having two standard drinks each day you drink and staying off drinks for two days per week prolongs health.
- Oral care: Tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss can be prevented by eating less sugared foods, regular brushing and flossing. Also, seeing a dentist annually or visiting them when you are recommended for professional cleaning and examination is great.
- Diet: Your food choice should include fruits and vegetables each day.
- Physical activity: Strengthen your bones, mental health and heart with 30 minutes to 1 hour of physical activity, including brisk walking, gentle swimming, etc
- Skin checks: Abnormalities on the skin, like freckles, should report to the doctor. Outdoor workers need an annual skin examination by a skin doctor.
- Smoking: Lung and heart disease, stroke and thin bones are among the many diseases smoking exposes the body to. Cessation from smoking is beneficial.
- Body weight: A healthy body weight prevents conditions like obesity, arthritis and diabetes.
Regular health screening for adults
Early detection of a health problem will cause treatment to be effective. All the points outlined above will discuss at your medical check.
Adults need a health check for the following:
- The heart:Your blood pressure should be in the normal range. High blood pressure causes stroke and heart attack. You’ll have blood tests to diagnose underlying health conditions. The electrical activities of your heart will check using an electrocardiogram (ECG). Your body mass index (BMI) should check for signs of obesity.
- Diabetes:This is done via a fasting blood sugar level test. You need this check once a year or every 3 years, depending on your risk level. Your risks for type 2 diabetes, including smoking, high blood cholesterol, overweight, etc., will evaluate.
- Bowel cancer:With a faecal occult blood test (FOBT), signs of bowel cancer can be identified. Those over 50 years need this test once every 2 years.
- Eyes:Age causes a decline in eye function, opening the door to conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, etc. Those above 65 years need yearly eye checks, but those with some risk factors like diabetes require frequent checks.
- Bones:A bone density test checks for osteoporosis which is common with both men and women.
Regular Health screening for women
Some of the specific tests included in women’s routine medical screening to ensure good health are:
- Breast cancer check:Older women require a mammogram to know their breast health.
- Cervical Screening Test (CST):The CST checks for HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer. Even if you’ve received the HPV vaccine, regular screening is critical. Your doctor will provide more information on this.
- STI screening:Every sexually active woman should test for common STIs like chlamydia. STI testing requires a sample of urine.
- Pregnancy: Pre-pregnancy checks expose potential risks. During pregnancy, antenatal screening monitors your health and your baby’s. Blood and urine tests, ultrasound scans and other tests need for pregnancy screening.
Regular Health screening for men
Prostate cancer is a problem common to men. Though not every man needs this test, it’s critical to get test to know the risks and be in good health.
Regular Health checks for older adults
As an ageing adult, take your health more seriously. You need to have a screening for:
- Blood pressure
- Bowel cancer
- Lung disease
- Cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Osteoporosis
- BMI
All of these conditions have risks, and most of them have vaccines like an annual flu shot. Speak with your doctor about them. You may consider having an eye test, hearing test and dental exam.
Other health screening
You may need other tests if your doctor says so following your present symptoms, medical and family history. The test outcome determines if you’ll get treatment, referral to a specialist or further testing.
If you are residing or visitor in London areas and need a private health screening, you can schedule a appointment at Privatedoctor.london.
