Health Check: Prevention is better than cure

Regular visits to the doctor may seem like a chore, but did you know that a check-up is a preventive measure that can help identify the warning signs of health problems?

Many people neglect their health in today’s fast-paced and busy world despite certain signs indicated by the body or campaigns run by organisations to raise awareness of various health issues.

Importance of regular health check-ups

Several factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle, a lack of sleep, a hereditary disease, a chronic stress or even an eating disorders among others, can have an impact on your health condition, ranging from minor to severe. Here are some countless reasons why you should schedule an appointment with your doctor even if you feel fine.

Regular health check-ups can:

• Make you aware of your current health situation.
• Help monitor your overall health and wellbeing.
• Detect life-threatening health conditions or diseases at an early stage, increasing the chances of an effective treatment.
• Reduce the risk of complications during treatment.

Physical and visual examination and laboratory tests

Early detection of health problems through regular medical tests and screenings indicated by your doctor during a check-up, can help identify any problematic symptoms your body may have. During a routine check-up, your doctor may perform a physical and visual examination to assess the condition of your body. He or she may check your vitals, weight, height, eyes, chest, heart rate and blood pressure, as well as palpate parts of your body like your abdomen.

In addition, to complete this examination, you can be asked to have several laboratory tests such as:

• Complete blood count (CBC): The CBC is a blood test that assesses the number and the volume of different blood components, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, haemoglobin, platelets, etc. It is used to detect a wide range of conditions including anaemia, leukaemia and infections.
• Cholesterol and Triglycerides: This test measures lipids – fats and fatty substances used as a source of energy by the body. It is used to determine the risk of heart and blood flow problems, including heart attack and stroke.
• Blood glucose test: This test measures the level of glucose in a person’s blood. Fasting plasma glucose is a common test used to detect and monitor diabetes or pre-diabetes. Patients are often required to fast for a certain period before the test.
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test: The TSH test is a blood test that determines the level of thyroid hormones and helps understand the reasons behind chronic fatigue, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, etc.

Health screenings women should consider.

However, specific tests and screenings one should have may vary on the age, personal medical history, family history, lifestyle as well as gender. Since the reproductive anatomy of women is more complex, they may need more screening tests than men.

1. Mammographic screening: It helps to detect any risk of breast cancer which may develop in women, especially those over 40 years old¹. Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women².
2. Cervical cancer screening: This involves testing for HPV infection to detect pre-cancer and cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common HPV-related disease and is considered as the fourth most common cancer among women globally³. Screening should start from 30 years of age, with regular screening with a validated HPV test every 5 to 10 years, and from 25 years of age for women living with HIV, with a more frequent screening scheduling, every 3 to 5 years⁴.
3. Osteoporosis screening: Osteoporosis is a condition that affects the bones (e.g., the ribs, hips, and the bones in the wrists and spine). Yet, bones density screening is recommended for women as from 65 years+, and it may facilitate treatment before osteoporotic fracture occurrence⁵.

Health screenings men should consider.

1. Prostate: Considered as one of the most common causes of cancer worldwide, prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the prostate. Digital rectal exam or Prostate-specific antigen test can be conducted to detect the disease⁶.
2. Colonoscopy: This screening procedure allows your gastroenterologist to find and view any abnormalities in the colon – colon cancer or rectal cancer. Small pieces of the abnormalities can be removed during colonoscopies for biopsy and further diagnosis⁷.

It is recommended to schedule regular check-ups with your healthcare practitioner to ensure that you are in good health and to address any potential health concerns.

Reference List:

1. World Health Organization: WHO (2021) “Breast cancer,” who.int[Preprint]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer.
2. World Health Organization: WHO (2021) “Breast cancer,” www.who.int[Preprint]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer.
3. World Health Organization: WHO (2019) “Cervical cancer,” who.int[Preprint]. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer.
4. World Health Organization: WHO (2019) “Cervical cancer,” who.int[Preprint]. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cervical-cancer.
5. Kling, J.M., Clarke, B.L. and Sandhu, N.P. (2014) “Osteoporosis Prevention, Screening, and Treatment: A Review,” Journal of Womens Health, 23(7), pp. 563–572. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2013.4611.
6. Prostate Cancer Prevention (PDQ®) – Patient Version(2022). Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/patient/prostate-prevention-pdq.
7. John Hopkins Medicine (2021). Colonoscopy, Health. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/colonoscopy.