Did you know that a simple problem like anaemia or iron deficiency can lead to irregular heartbeat, arrhythmia, or even heart failure? Globally, over 2 million people have anaemia and if left undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to heart issues. Why is this important and how is it linked to a preventive health check-up? The fact is that anaemia is just one of the many risk factors for your health that can be uncovered quickly through a preventive health check-up. These check-ups, when done regularly by qualified, experienced personnel can help you live a healthier, longer, better life.

Be it cancer, heart ailments, mental disorders, or eye-related issues that may lead to blindness, many of these can be averted in time with a comprehensive preventive health check-up plan. Early detection of most diseases reduces their intensity and impact on your life. In short, a preventive health check-up often lays the foundation for a better quality of life and in many cases, gives you a new lease on life.

Why is preventive health check-up important for you?

Below are some of the reasons why you should adopt a preventive health check-up plan:

Make the right lifestyle changes

Preventive health check-up covers several tests that identify the symptoms of future ailments. Many of these indicators can be brought under control with simple lifestyle changes. For example, increasing the intensity of exercise can reduce your risk of heart disease or controlling the amount of sugar in your diet can avert diabetes.

Avoid serious illnesses

Your preventive health check-up helps your physician understand the risk areas to cover and they can give you the right advice to follow, including medications or changes in habits to keep serious ailments away.

Keep treatment costs within reason

When a disease is identified in its early stages, it can be treated with less invasive and less intensive methods. Often, this means you can avoid surgeries or long-term treatment that can be quite expensive.

Improve treatment outcomes

In many cases, early detection helps resolve the disease or manage it better. Even cancers like breast, colorectal or cervical cancer can be treated with greater success when detected early.

Track your health status

With a preventive health check-up, you will be able to know how healthy you are and what aspects of your health require attention. This helps you make healthy choices for your body.

Reduce complications

A preventive health check-up can also monitor your health conditions regularly so that you can quickly address the changes that happen. This helps prevent further complications in existing medical conditions.

Who needs a preventive health check-up?

Even babies undergo preventive tests to eliminate problems. For example, regular eye exams for a baby over the first year of his/her life can identify problems like amblyopia and corrective treatment can be started immediately. However, as an adult, here is what you should know about a regular preventive health check-up:

• People aged between 35-60 are most affected by lifestyle diseases so if you fall within this age group, it is time to schedule annual check-ups
• Men above 35 and women aged above 40 require a yearly preventive health check-up.
• For those with a family history of specific hereditary diseases, a regular preventive health check-up plan is essential.
• For some diseases like cervical cancer, experts recommend early preventive checks at least by the age of 20. The same holds for people with known risk factors for coronary heart disease.

What comes under a preventive health check-up?

A preventive health check-up is a series of medical tests that are done to find out what measures you must take to avert future medical problems. A typical preventive health check-up covers the following:

• Physical exam, including weight checks, height, BMI
• Blood pressure
• Eye exam
• Immunization record and updates
• Lipid profile
• Dental exam
• Cholesterol

In addition, there may be specific tests done depending on your gender, age or known medical conditions. For example, women should include a pelvic exam and pap smear in their annual preventive health check-up. A preventive health check-up for heart, on the other hand, will include a more detailed lipid profile that clearly gives HDL and LDL values, and more.

For older people, the annual preventive health check-up is more comprehensive and may include the following:

• Cancer screening of different types for men and women
• Osteoporosis screening
• Pulmonary profile
• Liver function
• Bone mineral density (women)
• Prostate screening
• Obesity
• Hearing tests
• Mental health evaluations

While this is what comes under a preventive health check-up usually, your regular physician may add more tests based on your health status and existing conditions, if any.

Prepping for your preventive health check-up plan

• Consumption of alcohol should be avoided 24 hours before the screening as it might hamper outcomes.
• If X-rays or scans are part of the preventive health check-up list, then avoid wearing jewellery and check if the use of any lotions, creams, or oils can affect the readings
• If you have trouble breathing or standing or if you have a condition that makes any test difficult or risky, inform the doctor in advance (For example, pregnant women are asked to avoid X-rays)

How to find the right preventive health check-up program?

In today’s fast-paced life, owing to time constraints you do not notice how your body is affected by various factors. According to research, overlooked issues such as stress can have life-threatening consequences.

So, the most important thing is to find a reliable place to get your preventive health check-up plan done accurately, quickly, hygienically and with least discomfort. For the best preventive health check-up in Bangalore, all you have to do is walk into NURA health screening centre for a comprehensive health check that brings the best of AI-enabled imaging to you. With friendly technicians, experts to help you and a patient-first policy, you can seamlessly keep track of your health.