Regular health checks can be important for determining your risk of various diseases and detecting health conditions that have not yet resulted in any obvious symptoms. Early detection increases the likelihood of successful treatment.
The importance of regular check-ups increases with age. However, while many chronic conditions occur most often in older people, they can occur at any age, even in young people.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to get so caught up with the pressures and stresses of daily life that you forget about your health until a health issue arises.
The importance of preventative health care has become increasingly recognised. We can do a great deal to promote our own health by having a healthy diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.
A visit to the doctor for a general health check can help determine whether or not we have a high risk of developing such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or high blood pressure, or whether we already have signs of such conditions.
Waiting to visit the doctor until we have symptoms of such illnesses is not a good idea, as symptoms may not appear until the disease has progressed significantly.
How often we should have a medical check-up will vary according to the findings of our initial or previous check-up. The doctor will normally advise on when next you should have a check-up.
If we have various chronic conditions, more regular check-ups will be needed than if we do not. If our risk of developing them is high, which may include not only our physical condition but family medical history, this may affect the doctor’s recommendation of when we should next come for a check-up.
The saying that prevention is better than cure is certainly true. We can do a lot to check on our own state of health and promote our good health by adopting a healthy lifestyle. This means maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding obesity, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, as well as drinking enough water, having sufficient sleep and abstaining from smoking or drinking more than a moderate amount of alcohol.
If there are areas of our lifestyle that militate against good health, such as smoking, being overweight, eating unhealthily and drinking alcohol excessively then we can take steps to rectify this.
Women should regularly check their breasts for any lumps or changes in their appearance. If they do detect these, they should see a doctor about the possibility of their being an indication of possible breast cancer and for possible scheduling of a mammogram, if the doctor feels this is warranted.
When opportunities are presented for cervical cancer testing or for vaccinations against various diseases, these should be taken advantage of.
While adopting a healthy lifestyle increases the chances of maintaining good health and lowers the risk of various non‑contagious diseases, it is still important to have regular health check-ups, since there are tests that a doctor may do that could determine whether there are indications of various illnesses or of a high risk of developing them.
Many diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, often show no symptoms in their initial phases. Sometimes a doctor may diagnose a condition as a result of a blood test, for instance, that was taken for a completely different reason.
Some people have only discovered they have high blood pressure when their blood pressure is tested routinely on a visit to a doctor or clinic or when such tests are offered at, for instance, the Cimas stand at the Harare Agricultural Show or Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. Likewise high blood sugar levels may be diagnosed in similar circumstances.
That such instances occur points to the need to have a general health check from time to time even when you feel well.
Some people may feel that as long as they feel well there is no need for medical intervention, even if a random test has indicated they may have high blood pressure or diabetes. This would be a mistake.
A disease such as diabetes is a progressive disease that can eventually do serious damage to your body, resulting even sometimes in blindness or the need for a foot amputation, if it is not properly controlled. High blood pressure is sometimes referred to as the silent killer. It needs, therefore, to be treated appropriately.
This underscores the importance of having regular health checks, whether these be annually, every two years or every five years, depending on your state of health, any particular condition you might have and the recommendation of your doctor.
If you are already living with chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or heart disease, regular check-ups are essential. They allow your doctor to monitor the condition’s progression, adjust treatment plans and prevent complications. Proper management of chronic conditions can significantly improve quality of life.
Vaccinations are a critical part of preventive healthcare. Regular check-ups ensure that you are up-to-date with essential immunisations, protecting you from vaccine-preventable diseases. This is particularly important for children, the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems.
Regular check-ups can also be used to help establish a baseline for your health. Your doctor or healthcare provider can track changes in your vital signs, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other health indicators over time. This information is important for detecting subtle shifts that may signal underlying health issues.
Screenings
Cancer is a disease that is often detected late, when the chances of successful treatment may be slim. It progresses through various stages as it spreads. If detected early, several types of cancer can be successfully treated. In some cases detection may only be possible with particular screening.
Types of cancer screenings include a colonoscopy, mammogram, pelvic exam, prostate cancer screening, cervical cancer screening and skin cancer screening.
Other preventive screenings, depending on your risk factors, may be recommended by your doctor from time to time. These include a blood test to check your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol could be an early sign of heart disease.
Blood tests or glucose tests are used to check for diabetes. Your doctor or healthcare provider may recommend these screenings if you have early signs of Type 2 diabetes, such as a slow-healing bladder infection.
Regular eye tests are often recommended for adults. These tests can help detect problems such as cataracts and glaucoma before they seriously damage your vision. If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes, regular eye examinations may help to spot the earliest signs of eye-related complications.
