Is Annual Health Checkups Necessary?

Introduction – Annual Health Checkups

You may have often heard that health is healthy. Well, it is true to its very core. Health keeps your body and life in equilibrium with a good and nutritious diet, regular exercise, and an emotionally managed lifestyle. Constant input and effort are mandatory to maintain good health. Without any action, you cannot gain a healthy and wealthy lifestyle. Annual health checkups keep your body and mind health ratio in check. And if you are prone to an underlying disease, you may be able to nip it in the bud due to early diagnosis.

Annual Health Checkups

The annual health checkups are preventive care visits to a healthcare provider to assess the general health condition. You may be familiar with it as a routine physical examination recommended by your doctor. The sole purpose of annual health checkups is to detect health conditions before they show symptoms and become chronic and address any doubts regarding your health. Even if you are healthy or think so, you must schedule a physical checkup for yourself annually because it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Annual check-ups primarily focus on current lifestyle, including; sleep cycle, diet intake, workout, and medical conditions you may have faced in the past or now. After a complete examination, the doctor may suggest a change of routine, what you should eat and how many hours you must dedicate to exercise. Your healthcare provider may also suggest some screening tests to look for STIs (sexually transmitted infections), cancer, or metabolic diseases.

Importance of Annual Health Checkups

Some years back, people only needed to visit a doctor when they got sick, as in a life-or-death condition. Home remedies, homeopathic and over-the-counter medicines were the way to go. They still are, but the trend has declined considerably with more and more awareness and education. People have started to understand and accept the importance of annual health checkups and seek preventive medical advice to live a healthy life. Early detection of any health issue is your best chance to get the right treatment on time and avoid future complications.

Annual check-ups have many benefits, but we have shared the most important ones with you.

• You do not get sick often
• Prevention is better than cure
• Early detection of a potentially life-threatening disease with blood tests
• With an early diagnosis, the healthcare expenditure and treatment period are reduced
• Irregularities that could have been ignored can be found and eliminated before they become chronic
• Keeps you updated about your health and lifestyle status
• Health monitoring limits the risk of complications
• Improved health and increase in lifespan
• Keeps you updated about new medical technology and treatments
• It keeps you proactive instead of being reactive to a disease
• Keeps your mental health in check

Types of Annual Health Checkups

Consider getting the following annual health checkups done once you turn 18:

1. Physical Exam

It includes a simple exam to record heart rate and blood pressure and a physical examination of the nose, ears, eyes, throat, and abdomen.

2. Pap Test

A Pap test checks any abnormal cell growth in the cervix.

3. Pelvic Exam

The pelvic test is generally done on women to detect any disease of the reproductive system, cysts in the ovaries, or inflammation on the pelvic floor.

4. Mammogram

A mammogram is a breast X-ray for early detection of breast cancer.

5. Bone Density Test

It checks the bone mineral density to know how strong your bones are.

6. Prostate Exam

The prostate exam is done in men for rectal examination and to check prostate-specific antigens.

What to Expect from Annual Check-ups

An annual check-up may include the following:

1. BMI

Measuring height and weight is considered a baseline to monitor health and determine if you are malnourished or obese. The doctor can identify health issues by considering the fluctuation in weight and delayed or abnormal growth.

2. Body Vitals

Heart rate and blood pressure are checked to detect the heart’s functionality.

3. Medical History & Concerns

The doctor takes a medical history to check for any health complications, concerns, lifestyle habits, sexual health, workout routine, diet intake, work environment, and substance usage.

4. Medication Review

The doctor keeps himself updated about the medicines and supplements you are taking to avoid prescribing any incompatible drug that may cause a reaction in your body.

5. Family Health History

Knowing if you are prone to any genetic or hereditary disease is important. Family health history also helps understand a condition that the family lifestyle may trigger—depression, PTSD, panic attacks, etc.

6. Physical Examination

The doctor will examine all the organs and organ systems. In males, this examination includes a testicular exam (lumps, change in size, tenderness), a Hernia exam (weakness in the wall between intestines and scrotum), a Penis exam (STI, warts, ulcers), and a Prostate exam. In females, it includes a breast exam (lumps, lymph nodes, abnormalities), a Pelvic exam (vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, STI), a Pap test, and an HPV test.

7. Organ Examination

An examination to check the functionality of the heart, lungs, head, and neck region for heart diseases, pulmonary diseases, sinuses, tonsils, thyroid, etc.

8. Abdominal Examination

This exam will check the liver size, presence of abdominal fluid, bowel sounds, and tenderness of the gut.

9. Neurological Examination

The doctor checks the reflexes, nerves, muscle strength, and the patient’s mental state.

10. Dermatological Examination

The dermatologist checks the condition of the skin and nails to identify any dermatological problems.

11. Screening Tests

Screening tests include a blood test to check the presence of blood elements like hemoglobin, WBCs, etc., according to age and sex.

As most doctors recommend, HG Analytics also provides the screening services and tests mentioned above.

How to Choose A Healthcare Package

So many annual health checkups might need to be clarified. The easiest way to choose a package is to compare the price, tests it includes, services, and credibility of the healthcare provider. As a woman, you must choose a package that includes breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, diabetes test, STD and STI, and cardiac and thyroid tests.

Men must look for an annual check-up package that includes prostate cancer screening, colon cancer test, cholesterol, blood sugar, diabetes, and blood pressure test. Moreover, it would be best to keep your age in mind while looking for a healthcare package. Some Hospitals offers many screening tests to evaluate your lifestyle and health and to catch diseases in their early stage. Their representatives and healthcare professionals can assist you in finding and comprehending any medical problems you might be worried about