Several people are increasingly delaying visits to the doctor because they are scared to receive the bad news regarding their health. But for some people who don’t know yet, although I doubt, doctors keep on reminding us that whether we’re sick or fine, we need to ensure that nothing’s wrong with our body. Why? Because there are terrifying diseases that come with no signs or symptoms. Someone may have them for a long time but not even know it because no obvious signs are showing up.
So how would you know that something’s wrong with your health when no one, even yourself, is telling you? Well, this is the main objective of regular checkups, not only to identify if you’re fine or at risk but also to help you take the cure that can prolong your life. A regular checkup generally means annually, twice a year, or quarterly, but depending on the number of factors your health is going through. This becomes more beneficial to people who live a lifestyle that makes them more prone to health risks.
What are the benefits of health checkups?
1. Healthcare Cost
People may think that going on a regular checkup is a waste of money and time but little they know that it can actually save them bills in the long run. Looking closely at the bigger picture, which scenario would you choose: the days you had your checkup, it may cost a bit now but you figure your sickness earlier and get some medication to reduce its risks or the days you never had your checkup and then you pass out one day only to find out that you had a long-time disease that would require higher medical costs?
2. Diagnosis and Prevention
Checkups may include the use of different medical imaging procedures or screening tests to diagnose potential diseases. These procedures may range according to the patient’s age, sex, medical history, and lifestyle. When your doctor detects a problem at an earlier stage, the prevention of diseases to get worse and develop throughout related parts of the body is more likely to obtain. While in critical cases such as cancer, the early detection is almost always a big factor in survival rate. In comparison, the early detection of Stage 1 cancer has a 100% chance of survival rate whereas detection of Stage 2 has only 93%.
3. Stress-related Diseases
Studies have found that there are certain health issues related to stress. It’s no secret that people go through some stressful days. And even if there are tons of tips to fight stress, sometimes it’s just really hard to manage our stress level. Stress can increase the risk of medical conditions such as hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, diabetes, stomach problems, and asthma. Consequently, it’s important to keep ourselves in check especially when we feel like we’ve been through difficulties lately.
4. Awareness
Your health is not secured as long as you’re not aware of what is going on inside your body. There are genetic diseases that can be transferred from generation to generation. So if you have family members with a history of a certain disorder, there is a probability that it can be transferred to your genes or to your kids’. Some of these inherited diseases are cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Huntington’s Disease, and Hemochromatosis.
Running some blood tests can help eliminate the risks of potential disorders that may run to your genes. In relation, test results can also evaluate whether your organs including liver, heart, thyroid, and kidneys are functioning well.
Regular checkups do not only build awareness but also offer you some peace of mind. Make sure to visit your regular healthcare provider so they can keep your records while you keep track of your health stance.