Staying healthy has a lot of different factors, but preventive screenings are an important one. Read on to find out more about why you should do preventive screenings, and which particular screenings you should go for.
There is more to keeping yourself healthy than just eating the right foods, exercising, and making wise lifestyle choices. Preventive screenings and regular check-ups to ensure your health is in order are crucial to nipping any potential health hazards, conditions or diseases in the bud. In addition to this, going for preventive screenings and check-ups could save you money in the long run – after all, catching an illness before it manifests seriously saves you money on medical bills, medication, and using up your health insurance funds to manage and treat the illness.
Related: 7 Signs That You Need to Go See a Doctor
Common Wellness Screenings:
All adults should go for a full wellness screening at least annually, or bi-annually if you are over the age of 45. These include:
- Height and weight: This is to check your BMI (Body Mass Index) to check that you are not unhealthily over or underweight.
- Cholesterol: High cholesterol can lead to heart disease and stroke. If your cholesterol is too high, you could be directed to change your diet and lifestyle habits, or even put onto cholesterol-lowering medication if the condition is more serious.
- Blood pressure: High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke and can also indicate other underlying conditions.
- Glucose levels: Diabetes is a very common disease that cannot be cured, only managed. Fortunately, type-2 diabetes (which develops and is not present since birth as with type-1 diabetes) can be prevented if caught early on. Checking your glucose levels regularly helps in diagnosing early onset diabetes or a pre-disposition to diabetes.
- Vision tests: Poor eyesight can lead to eye strain, headaches and even migraines. Furthermore, undetected and untreated eye disease could lead to severe deterioration or vision loss later on. Have your eyesight tested once a year (this includes children).
- Dental check-ups: Everyone from the age of 3 years old should be visiting a dentist twice a year for a check-up and clean. Sticking to this schedule is crucial in preventing gum disease, cavities that could require expensive and painful fillings, and even tooth loss in severe cases of periodontal disease.
Related: Make the Most of a General Check Up
Important preventive screenings for women:
- Pap smears: After the age of 21, all women should have a pap smear test every two years. Pap smears are crucial in detecting the development of cancerous or precancerous cervical cells.
- Breast exams: From the age of 20, it is recommended that women have a clinical breast exam every three years. After the age of 40, this should be increased to annually. Women with a strong history of breast cancer in their families may be advised by their doctors to have more frequent examinations from an earlier age.
Important preventive screenings for men:
- Prostate exam: Men should have their prostate checked every year from the age of 40, or sooner and more frequently as per their physician’s advice should they have a family history of prostate cancer.
Going for preventive screenings is important in ensuring your overall health, because being able to treat any health issues or diseases early can lead to a better prognosis. By doing this and eating healthily and exercising regularly, you will up your chances of living a long, healthy life. You’ll also be able to avoid the hefty bills that come with later stages of health conditions.
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