Importance of periodic Master Health Check-Ups after 25 years of age

Health is universally and most commonly defined as ‘A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of a disease or infirmity’. What this implies in a broader view is also that- ‘Prevention is better than cure’.
With increasing awareness of diseases and illness and more consciousness about health, most of us aim to lead a healthy life. This term of being ‘Healthy’ is not always purely subjective. It also requires an ‘Objective’ approach where facts and figures are taken into consideration. So what exactly are these facts and figures?
Without any medical investigations or tests, someone who is ‘Feeling’ completely healthy might not be so. This is where periodic health check-ups can be underscored. These check-ups constitute of the following:
• Routine physical examination: BMI estimation, pulse rate, body temperature, etc.
• Basic blood and urine investigations: To determine any anemia, blood cell-related issues, early indicator of kidney ailments, systemic or metabolic diseases, etc.
• Estimation of blood glucose levels: To determine if you are diabetic or a pre-diabetic. It is important to note here that someone who has a diagnosis as being a pre-diabetic can easily reverse this by lifestyle changes and avoid becoming a diabetic, needing medication.
• Estimation of blood pressure: High blood pressure is a major indicator of potential stress levels, predicting heart or kidney-related issues, neurological issues such as stroke, and a lot of other minor and major ailments.
• Chest X-Ray- To notice any infections, cancer, chronic conditions, smoking effects, changes in the heart, etc.
• Kidney function tests
• ECG, Echo to determine cardiac activity and health
• Lipid profile: To determine cholesterol levels
• Ultrasound abdomen: To study organs in the abdomen such as the liver, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys.
• Add-ons or additional tests depending on individual preferences or doctor suggestions.
• General medicine consultation along with any specialist consultation depending on need.

These are some of the basic things to expect in a routine medical check-up. It might take up to 8 hours to finish all of these but it has a lot of benefits to offer. The most important benefits include:
• Identification of any upper ranges in the normal test reports and advising basic lifestyle changes to correct these.
• Prevent any future diseases or ailments by staying connected to health professionals and constantly monitoring your body.
• Early detection of any major disease or illness can help to avoid progression and enable quicker response and smoother recovery.
• Medical queries or doubts can be cleared regularly.
• Assessment of possible mental health issues including depression or anxiety.
Early detection of life-threatening diseases can save more 100 million lives every year, around the world.
WHO
The other benefits of early detection potentially include:
• Healthier lifestyle changes
• Lower treatment costs
• Lower duration of treatment
• Better chances of recovery.
• Better treatment outcomes.
• Better coping with a diagnosis.
This pandemic has given us all a fresh new perspective and portrays more strongly the vital role of ‘Health’. As countries and its people recover from this virus, it is important for all of us to constantly take care of ourselves and our health. If you are above 25 years of age, it might be the right age for you to take the onus of your health and consult a doctor regarding a health check-up. For those who have already had one or more check-ups, it is mandatory to periodically repeat these at intervals suggested by your doctor.
As we all take measures to reduce exposure to the corona virus, most consultations have become digital. This would be the right time for you to download the Curie app and find a doctor online.