A generation ago, people used to see their doctor only when they were sick, or dying. Today, preventative health care is becoming commonplace as people become more educated and empowered about their own health. People are preemptively seeking medical advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle. They are looking to lower their risk of various conditions or diseases by maintaining a healthy diet, weight, and level of physical activity.

Doctors are also requesting that patients get regular check-ups to help stay on top of their health. They are highlighting the importance of prevention, as a means to reduce the number of patients requiring medical treatment or surgery.

Regular check-ups can help find potential health issues before they become a problem. When you see your doctor regularly, they are able to detect health conditions or diseases early. Early detection gives you the best chance for getting the right treatment quickly, avoiding any complications. By getting the correct health services, screenings, and treatment you are taking important steps toward living a longer, healthier life.

The benefits of regular check-ups include:

• Reduce your risk of getting sick
• Detect potentially life-threatening health conditions or diseases early
• Increase chances for treatment and cure
• Limit risk of complications by closely monitoring existing conditions
• Increase lifespan and improve health
• Reduce healthcare costs over time by avoiding costly medical services
• Form a good partnership with the doctor so treatment can be more efficient
• Get updated on new medical information or technologies that are available

Need for a Regular Health Checkup

As stated above, regular health examinations and tests widely aid in defining your health condition and even finding out problems that already exist or are about to surface in the near future. Most basic health checkup packages today cover all the essential blood and urine tests for screening lifestyle diseases and chronic infections that are common in your region/country and those that match with your existing health condition. By getting checked at regular intervals, you basically improve your chances of living a healthy, long life. Your age, sex, family history, lifestyle choices, and many other essential factors also affect what and how often you must take a health-screening test.

Composition of a Regular Health Check-Up

In addition to an overall physical examination, a standard or regular health checkup package comprises of test that helps in the assessment of the functionality of your heart, lungs, digestive system, kidneys, liver and the immune system. In some cases, typically depending upon the age and sex of an individual, a health package may also include certain cancer-specific tests such as PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) for men and mammography and some gynecological tests for women.

However, most packages primarily comprise of pathology tests (blood and urine), cardiac stress test, imaging tests (x-rays and ultrasounds), kidney, liver, and lung function test. Each of these tests is performed in carefully controlled environments to ensure the samples obtained produce only the exact and accurate results.

Furthermore, there are a number of reputed medical institutions and diagnostic labs in India that offer a colossal range of health checkup packages covering a broad range of diseases, infections, and lifestyle conditions. You can choose a package as per your needs, or as per the recommendation of your physician. Usually preventive or full body health checkup packages are suggested. For a reason that they cover all the basic and necessary tests.

Those of you who are still skeptical about health checkup packages and their benefits, read on for better clarification.

Comprehensive in Nature

When you’re out there looking for a good health checkup package, you’ll see that a single package offers you a broad range of tests. If you sum up the prices of individual tests and compare them with that of a comprehensive health checkup package, you will witness that you are almost saving one-fourth of the total amount by opting for a package.

Early Detection of Problems

One of the best and most prominent benefits of getting tested on regular basis is that you’re able to keep a tab on your health. Your test results help in analyzing your current state and diagnosing your chances of suffering from a mild or chronic disease if necessary measures are not taken right away. In addition to this, if you’ve already been diagnosed with a disease and are undergoing a treatment, regular health checkup aids in monitoring your condition and stating whether your condition has improved or deteriorated since the start of the treatment.

Makes You Aware of Various Good and Had Habits

Health is wealth! Quoted by a learned man, the statement stands true in all respects. Regular health checkups do not just inform you about your exposure to potential diseases but also in indicating your good habits that you must continue with. For instance, if you’re someone who has a control over his/her sugar intake, food habits and keeps a tab on his/her physical exercise, your test reports will duly showcase your efforts. On the other hand, if you’re not careful with yourself and your health, your reports will determine that too.

Energizes You

For a fact that if your reports showcase a positive result, you feel good and your morale is boosted. You will continue to ensure that you uptake activities which shall help you maintain a healthy lifestyle in the long run. Furthermore, your positive moral will keep your happy, which shall indirectly keep your spirits up, both at work and at home.

AgeWise Health checks

Here we define some health checks you must consider at different stages of your life.

When in your 20s and 30s, ensure your master health checkup package comprises of the following tests:-

Dental check and cleaning

Blood pressure

Glucose levels

Cholesterol

BMI, waist and hip measurements

Certain cancer checks

Testes self-checks (men)

Breast self-checks (women)

If you’re sexually active, ensure taking these tests:-

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) screenings

Pap smear for women (once in every two years)

When in your 40s, ensure your package covers all the same tests as mentioned above ( for 20s and 30s) and the following:-

Risk Assessment Test against Type 2 Diabetes

Risk Assessment test against Cardiovascular

Mammogram for women

PSA for men

Eye checks

When you hit your 50s and 60s, uptake all the tests as mentioned for ages 20s, 30s and 40s along with these tests:-

Osteoporosis

Bowel cancer screening

Visual acuity

Hearing impairment tests

To conclude, “Health is the most precious asset a man possesses.” Do not let your daily routine and habits damage your condition and expose you to the risk of suffering chronic, non-curable diseases. Make sure you get tested at regular intervals, eat healthily, steer away from habits that may affect your body, exercise regularly and adhere to basic preventive measures.