Health screening takes many different forms and is used for a wide variety of purposes. It is essentially a check up of your physical health that may include a variety of tests.
Health screening is used for insurance purposes as well as by employers. It's become increasingly popular for those wishing to check on the state of their well-being and is often recommended before beginning many different types of treatments.
A history of past illnesses within your family is generally taken. This is useful for alerting you to any genetic predisposition. This is often followed by a full physical examination including height and weight measurements. Blood and urine tests may be carried out and you should be informed as to what these are for.
What are the benefits?
Health screening can be very useful for both prevention and early treatment of conditions. Early detection of diseases, such as breast cancer, has saved thousands of lives. If you have a history of a particular condition or illness in your family, it can be very important to have regular check ups so that you can tackle problems at an early stage. Babies and children are often tested to ensure they are not suffering from certain genetic conditions.
If you are returning from overseas, you may wish to check that you have not contracted any illnesses whilst abroad. Testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases helps to protect both you and your partner. Knowledge is power. If you are made aware of potential problems, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, you will be in a position to take steps to prevent further deterioration of your well-being. Rather than going into denial, more and more people are realising that a full understanding of your health is the best way to ensure longevity and vitality.
