Regular health screening is the early marker of complicated health issues
Are you thinking about why I need to go for screening although I am perfectly fine?
Most people around the world think the same way and so do not go for screening. Ultimately, they diagnose the severe health issue at a very late stage.
Routine health screening for assessing common health issues and the risk factors of complicated diseases helps in preventing those health problems. Due to routine examinations, the person stays healthy.
You need to go for screening at least once in a year or more if your physician asks. One-time health screening in three years is also suggested by some healthcare providers, but it is only recommended if you are young and good at health.
What is meant by a health screening?
Health screening is the detection of the medical condition of an apparently healthy individual. Screening involves a physical examination and a list of routine tests.
Routine health screening is helpful in the early diagnosis of disease, and it is also a way to prevent chronic diseases. Routine screening helps to identify the problems early and several treatment options for CKD and other chronic diseases are now available. For instance, assessing the risk factors of heart diseases like screening for blood pressure and cholesterol helps to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Screening helps detect the health issue in the early stages even if the person is not showing symptoms. This early detection helps to treat the disease easily and quickly.
Routine screening test for early detection of diseases
Before going for the screening must consult with the healthcare professional or your private GP. Your physician will tell you which screen test needs to go for based on your health condition, age, gender, and family history.
The major health screening test to diagnose the frequently occurring disease early include:
Blood pressure Screening
Blood pressure examination is the most common rather than the most important screening test. The increase and decrease in blood pressure is the identification mark of several diseases.
High blood pressure or hypertension is commonly known as the mother of all diseases. Hypertension mostly leads to cardiovascular diseases.
The blood pressure of an individual may become high due to the age factor. The underlying medical conditions are another secondary cause of high blood pressure. Treating the underlying cause of hypertension normalizes blood pressure.
If the blood pressure stays high for long, it may lead to stroke, heart attack, or heart and kidney failure.
Screening Cholesterol
Cholesterol screening is suggested to the person who has a high body mass index (BMI). Smokers and individuals who consume alcohol are also recommended for cholesterol tests because smoking and alcohol consumption increase the body’s LDL.
LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), also known as bad fat, is the main reason for atherosclerosis and other heart problems. The normal level of cholesterol of both men and women older than 20 years ranges from 125 to 200mg/dL.
Smoking and lack of physical activity increase LDL and decrease high-density lipoprotein HDL (good fat) levels that help to remove the LDL from the body.
You can treat high cholesterol by proper physical activity (regular 30 minutes walk) and quitting alcohol consumption. LDL reducing medicines is another source of lowering bad cholesterol. Controlling cholesterol helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer is a common problem for both males and females. The risk factors of colorectal tumors include smoke, family history, and a high-fat diet. The chances of getting colon and rectum cancer also increase with increasing age.
Colonoscopy and stool test helps in the identification of colorectal cancer so the high-risk individual should go for routine health screening. This helps in identifying the tumor in the early stage before the onset of symptoms.
STD screening
The most deadly sexually transmitted disease STD is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). It occurs due to the human immune virus. This HIV virus may transmit from person to person through sexual contact or through intravenous drug abuse.
Screening for STD now comes under routine health screening. Early detection of these AIDS helps to control the spread of disease. Except for AIDS, there are many other sexually transmitted diseases that can be diagnosed through routine screening.
Diabetes screening
Another necessary health screening test includes assessing blood sugar levels. Like many other diseases, diabetes also runs in the family from generation to generation. Patients having high blood pressure and high cholesterol should also check for diabetes.
Through diabetic screening, a prediabetic condition can be detected. If you are a prediabetic, you can easily control your sugar level through a proper diet plan and exercise. Early detection of diabetes is also helpful in maintaining blood glucose levels.
Why is health screening important
For healthy living, routine health screening is necessary because it keeps the individual healthy and strong. Here is a few importance of health screening:
- It ensures the early detection of illnesses that help to better treat the disease.
- Early detection also reduces the risk of complications.
- By controlling the risk factors, the person may not suffer from the disease.
The bottom line
It is a common saying, prevention is better than cure. Health care screening is the best way of preventing a number of complicated diseases. You must go for screening at least once a year to keep yourself healthy.