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April 3, 2024

Health Screenings: Why They Are Important

None of us think that we can fall sick. Most of us don’t think about diseases unless there are some symptoms. More often than not, we take our good health for granted unless it is too late.

However, the world is complex, with more and more people suffering from various kinds of diseases across the world. This is where the importance of screening tests comes in. While regular health screenings may seem mundane, they can save us from a lot of trouble.


What is health screening?

A test done before observing any symptoms of a disease is a screening test. The goal of this disease is to detect possible diseases or whether you’re at risk of contracting certain diseases.

Health screenings are not exactly diagnostic tools. They are more like an indicator that something could be wrong and could go wrong in the future.


Why are health screenings important?

The importance of health screenings lies in several aspects:

Aids in early detection of diseases

One of the most important benefits of health screenings is early detection. Once a disease is detected early, treatment can start early too. This can increase the chances of positive outcomes and improve the chances of complete recovery. Early detection plays a pivotal role in reducing mortality.

Helps identify underlying issues

A very important aspect, health screenings allow us to find an underlying problem before the symptoms appear fully. Sometimes we feel perfectly healthy, yet there can be something wrong at a deeper level. Health screenings can pinpoint such invisible ailments.

Get better control

Once a disease is detected through a screening test, it helps you and your medical team take better control of the future outcome. You can seek the help of a doctor as soon as an issue is identified in the test. Medical intervention can start immediately which can lead to better management of the disease.

Obtain a comparative view

Routine screening tests help doctors to compare results over time and take corrective action if necessary. This way your physician can determine if you’re recovering or getting worse and decide the course of action accordingly.

Reduces anxiety

People with a previous medical history or family history of certain diseases live with a constant anxiety of contracting the disease at some point in their lives. Going through regular health screenings can reduce this anxiety and help us worry less.

Saves money

Early detection and early treatment can help avoid expensive treatment. For example, diagnosing a chronic kidney disease early can reduce the progression of the disease. This, in turn, can reduce the need for dialysis and kidney transplants, both of which are expensive.

Creates a culture of health

When a few members of a family go for regular health checkups, more people will be motivated by it. This creates a culture of health within the family, thus helping everyone to live a healthier life.


How often should you go for a health screening?

Health screenings should be done at periodic intervals, which can vary from one person to another depending on their overall health condition. For example, for a healthy individual, screening once a year is sufficient.

However, for people already suffering from a condition such as diabetes or hypertension, twice a year may be more suitable. The type of screening test required may change as you age. Speak to a physician to understand what kind of screening is suitable for you.


Who should go for regular health screenings?

Ideally, everyone should go for a health screening once a year, irrespective of age. However, regular health screenings are most important for those:

  • Who have crossed a certain age
  • Have a family history of specific medical conditions
  • Have made certain lifestyle choices (such as smoking and heavy drinking) which increase health risks
  • Have a medical history that increases their chance of certain diseases

Which health screenings should you go for?

So now that we know health screenings are important, the most obvious question is which health screening should you opt for? Thousands of tests are available, hence it is natural to get confused. If your doctor has not specified exactly which tests to opt for, here are a few tests that you would want to include in your health screening:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Cholesterol
  • Lung Health
  • Liver Health
  • Kidney cancer
  • Breast cancer for women
  • Cervical cancer for women
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Osteoporosis

General tips to stay healthy

You can take additional steps, apart from annual health screenings, to remain healthy. Here are some of the things that we recommend:

Eat nutritious food

What we consume every day has a direct impact on our health. Hence, following a nutritious diet is of utmost importance. Ensure to include a sufficient amount of vegetables in your diet daily. Also include whole grains, legumes and lean proteins such as seafood.

Avoid processed food and sugary drinks as much as possible.

Sleep well

A good amount of sleep is of utmost importance, not only because it allows our body to restore, but it allows our mind to reset too. Ensure to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every day. Avoid caffeine or alcohol before going to bed.

You can read our article, Is Needing Eight Hours of Sleep a Myth?, to get a better understanding of the importance of sleep.

Include exercise in your daily routine

Another very important aspect, physical activity can improve physical as well as mental health and has a direct impact on our mood and sleep quality.

At least 30 minutes of exercise per day is essential to maintain good health.


Prevention is better than cure

Health screenings are a crucial component of being in control of your health. It has far-reaching benefits in identifying an ailment early and avoiding bigger medical issues in the future. Having a healthy lifestyle is a component of eating well, sleeping enough, exercising sufficiently and going for regular checkups. They take a pivotal stage in maintaining our mental health too.

To arrange for a health screening at your convenience, please get in touch with our Avisena Wellness Centre at 03 5515 1945 or visit our Health Screening page for more information.



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