Health checks are a way for you to take control of your well-being. Regular health checks are an easy way to know what screenings and exams you need to help spot any irregularities going on inside your body. They can help find health issues before they start, which gives you a better chance for treatment and a higher chance at a cure, depending on the nature of the medical problem. Getting a health check can improve your chances at living a longer, healthier life than you would be able to have without making these appointments.
Getting a health check is as easy as making an appointment with a medical doctor. Before you go to the appointment, try to get a good idea of your family history to help fill out the paperwork necessary for getting a health check. You will also have to find out if you are due for any general screenings, and follow the instructions on how to prepare for them.
Knowing When It Is Time for a New Health Check
How often you have a health check depends on the general state of your health, your age, your family history, and your lifestyle choices. For example, if your lifestyle includes an unhealthy diet, questionable sex habits, patterns of not getting enough sleep, and other bad habits, then you could need a health check more frequently than someone who tries to maintain a lifestyle that includes healthy habits. The best way to know when you need a new health check is to consult your doctor, but there are things your body does to let you know as well.
Generally speaking, a new health check is required any time you notice a change in your body, especially when it involves lumps or skin changes. If you have pain, fatigue, problems going to the bathroom, sleep issues, anxiety, changes in your diet, or periods of dizziness, then a health check could find the causes for those problems. Here are some of the screenings recommended as part of a health check:
- Mammogram to check for breast cancer
- Blood work to check for high or low cholesterol
- Screening to check for various types of cancer
- Diabetes testing to check blood sugar levels
- Blood pressure check for cardiovascular issues
- Oral health checks to detect diseases
- Checks for sexually transmitted diseases
Once you make the appointment, it is important to be honest with your doctor. If you do not take medications or vitamins like you should, then make sure you explain this to them. If you do not exercise as much as you know that you should, then this should be relayed as well. How you live, both at work and at play, could put you at risk for certain health conditions. What you tell your doctor can help him formulate a plan to improve your health, and then maintain that heath for what is hopefully a long time to come.
Asking Your Doctor the Right Questions During a Health Check
When you arrive for an appointment for a health check, it can be difficult to bring to mind all the questions that passed through your mind at home or at work in the days and weeks beforehand. Write down these questions as you think about them, and then take the list to the doctors office. Your doctor is responsible for helping you make good choices when it comes to your health, and answering your questions is part of that job.
After the health checks, when it is time to review the screenings, it is a good idea to have a notepad and pen or pencil to write down what your doctor says. You can also take notes on your smartphone, if your doctor does not prohibit use of personal phones in the office. This is because by the time you get back home to think about what your doctor said, it can be difficult to remember all the details. This is especially true if any of the screenings or tests that were performed as part of your health check came back with results that require further treatments.
Health Checks and Their Impact on Your Future
Regardless of your age, there are things that will affect your health in the future. If you are young and unable to conceive, you may decide to undergo fertility treatments. If you are thinking about quitting smoking, then you might seek out help from your doctor about medications or treatments that can help with the process. And if you need to lose weight but diet and exercise alone dont work, then your doctor can help with this as well.
Health checks are necessary in each of the above listed lifestyle situations. They are also necessary for taking certain types of jobs. Some employers require health checks before you are hired to work for the company. These and other employers might also require an additional health check once per year to ensure that you are maintaining good health while working in that particular field. Your doctor can help you in all of these situations, and will use the results of screenings and tests to help you make the best decisions regarding your health.
