Health screening consists of different tests that allow physicians to assess your health. It also helps them diagnose different kinds of medical conditions. Undergoing screening regularly is important, especially if combined with a routine checkup. This gives your doctor more detailed information about your health and thus, gets you a more effective treatment.
What are the benefits of health screening?
Health screening is an effective way of avoiding diseases by early detection and improving your overall health. These are some advantages of health screening:
- Helps identify health conditions that don't show noticeable symptoms and get a precise diagnosis of certain diseases.
- Detects potentially life-threatening diseases and treats them in time.
- Identifies health risks and prevents certain health conditions from appearing.
- Has been proven to ensure better management of health conditions and lessens the risk of complications.
- Health screening is cost-effective. Getting sick can be expensive. Health screening helps prevent diseases by treating them before they get severe which can save you a lot of money.
What health screening tests should you get?
Most health screening tests are aimed at your individual health state. Your doctor will indicate the type of tests you need depending on your risk factors and medical history. But some screenings are universal and performed on almost all patients to detect common but dangerous health conditions.
- Blood pressure screening. High blood pressure often shows no symptoms. That’s why it’s important to check every patient’s blood pressure as it’s often the only way to diagnose this condition.
- Body mass index. Obesity is a great risk for many dangerous diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Monitoring your weight will let your doctors help you prevent these conditions.
- Glucose test. A glucose test will determine whether you suffer from diabetes. Not only is this disease a serious health condition itself, but it's also a risk for many other diseases to develop.
- Blood test. A blood test is crucial because it helps to determine the levels of various chemicals and nutrients in your body.
- Cholesterol levels. People who are obese, smoke, or drink alcohol are at risk of having high cholesterol levels, which can cause stroke or heart disease.
- Heart screens. ECG and treadmill are recommended to people with high blood pressure or at risk of heart diseases.
- STD screening. Recommended to all sexually active people, especially to those with more than one partner.
- Health screening for women. Includes mammograms and pap smear test to detect cancer at early stages.
- Health screening for men. Prostate cancer tests are recommended to all men, especially to those older than 50.
Some people are afraid to get health screening tests because they're already assuming that the results are bad. But the main purpose of these tests is to detect the possibility of getting sick and prevent it from actually developing or worsening. And this can only be done by getting screened as soon as possible.
Let us help you find and perform the right tests
If you're not sure which screening test you should take, the doctors at Phoenix Medical Centers are ready to help. Schedule your appointment with us now by calling
(813) 462-2595.
