Introduction
Seeing a doctor often comes when one falls ill. However, did you know that you should be seeing your doctor for reasons other than being sick? I’m talking about seeing your doctor for regular health checkups.
It is essential that we break the idea that doctors are only meant to be seen when we experience symptoms of sickness. Instead, we should be building the habit of visiting the doctor routinely for medical checkups.
These routine checkups are part and parcel of preventative measures against any health complications that might occur without any initial symptoms to warn us. The evaluation of risk factors for common medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure and checks for the development of cancer are some of the reasons why you should be visiting your doctor on days other than when you fall ill.
Furthermore, health screenings are also a great way to assess one’s lifestyle in order to be able to adapt it to lower the risks of chronic illnesses and diseases, especially as you get older.
Keen on building this habit of getting regular checkups but not sure where to begin? Read on further down below to learn more about medical checkups.
How Often Should An Average Adult Go For Checkups?
If you are an average adult in relatively good health, the recommended frequency for routine checkups should be at least once every three years. However, this all depends on your age and health risks as well.
Whilst getting a medical checkup done once every three years may be enough for a young adult, for those aged more than 50, it is advisable to get one done annually instead. This is largely due to the fact that as you age, you become more vulnerable to health risks and early detection becomes ever more so important. This is because your bacterial filtration efficiency is lower, and so you’re much more likely to contract infections.
This applies to those with underlying risk factors for chronic diseases and illnesses be it due to genetics or lifestyle. For those that are shown to be at higher risk or those who are currently dealing with these chronic illnesses, regular visits to the doctor are a must regardless of age.
The Benefits Of Routine Medical Checkups
Medical checkups should be done regularly, but why exactly? These visits to the doctor provide numerous health benefits to oneself and save lives.
Through frequent medical screenings, early detection of life-threatening health issues is possible, allowing for early prevention. This greatly increases the odds of survival as early treatment is shown to have a much higher rate of success than treatment that begins late.
Furthermore, this also results in less money and time spent on more extensive treatment that will have to occur with late detection of health complications.
With viruses constantly evolving and new ones popping up unexpectedly, medical screenings are also a great way to keep up to date with the latest vaccines. These checkups also help you to alter and build a better lifestyle based on your current health status which will constantly be changing as you get older.
Things Checkups Include
With most standard medical checkups, there should be a few standard steps that doctors will have to carry out.
The first and most important part of any medical screening would be a review and evaluation of both your past and current health. This would include a review of your health history, family medical history, allergies, as well as vaccination statuses.
This would then be followed up by a standard medical screening of your blood pressure and body mass index as well to gauge your current health condition. With this information gathered, the doctors can then make an evaluation of what other screening needs to be made. For those at higher risk of health complications, other common screenings may also be carried out.
Some examples of other common screenings include checks for sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
Men and women also receive additional screenings to check for health complications likely to be faced by their gender.
For women, screenings for breast and cervical cancer, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis are highly advisable to be carried out. For men, on the other hand, screenings for prostate cancer and abdominal aneurysms are common as well.
Depending on your age and health-related issues/risks, your doctor may put you through other physical screenings to better determine your health status and if there are any complications to be worried about.
Preparations For Medical Checkups
With any checkup, be prepared with important documents that may be needed. This includes items such as your personal particulars and in this case, your medical records as well. Your medical information may be readily available to the doctor if you have been regularly going for checkups, but you can never be too careful.
The most important thing to prepare before a checkup would be updates or changes to your personal health and lifestyle which will be useful for the doctor when reviewing your health and making a judgement. This includes information regarding changes to medications, the development of allergies, and your well-being since the last checkup.
Are Checkups Covered By Insurance?
Medical screenings can be costly, especially for those who have numerous complications and have to go through extensive screening processes. This depends on your insurance as well and any government schemes or benefits you may be receiving.
To get a clearer idea of what is and what is not covered by your own insurance, it is advisable to read up on it. Insurance can help you save hundreds of dollars on these medical checkups that are often costly.
What If I Don’t Have Health Insurance?
If you have found out that you do not have a health insurance plan, or that your insurance doesn’t cover routine medical checkups, do not panic. If you are in a position where finance is a problem, there are various ways to attain affordable healthcare services.
There are clinics and organisations that offer healthcare services at a discounted rate for those with financial issues. Government schemes are also a possibility you could look into.
Private organisations offering aid programs or charity aid are also often available, although more so in rural areas than in urban cities.
Conclusion
Your health matters, not only to you but to your loved ones as well. Getting regular health checks is a good way of maintaining your health through preventative measures and early detection of health complications. After all, prevention is better than cure.
