A check-up is a programme for the early diagnosis of disease. The World Health Organization recommends having such a medical examination every year. A diagnostic programme includes the full range of tests and examinations aimed at an overall assessment of your health. In this way possible diseases can be avoided or detected at an early stage.
Where should you start when examining your body?
- First of all, see an internist. If you do not have a family doctor, you can go to a laboratory, which will recommend a suitable set of tests for your needs.
- After seeing the internist, have blood and urine tests. From the results the doctor can assess your health and how your internal organs are working.
- Fluorography. This will help you check the condition of your lungs.
- Have an ECG to find out about the state of your heart. Doctors recommend this procedure at least once a year.
- If you have ever noticed a small swelling or hard lump on your body that does not go away, be sure to see a surgeon. This doctor will tell you whether there is a risk to your health and select the right treatment.
- Have your eyesight checked by an ophthalmologist or optician, and see a dentist at least once every six months. Women are also advised to have regular gynaecological check-ups, and men to see a urologist to check their reproductive health.
Tips for choosing a clinic:
- When choosing a clinic, the first thing to check is whether it has the specialists you need. When choosing a specialist, you can and should ask about their qualifications and experience.
- The clinic’s schedule or a specialist’s availability can also tell you a lot: sought-after, top-class specialists have a busy schedule and regular clients.
- The cost of the examination. Price is an important factor when choosing a clinic. Be wary, however, of clinics with suspiciously low prices, which many use to attract clients. With good equipment and materials, the cost of comparable services cannot differ greatly.
- The clinic’s location. A full-body check-up takes a certain amount of time, so this point deserves attention. Today not everyone has the time to devote several hours to an examination, so it is worth choosing a clinic close to home or near your workplace.
Perhaps the only drawback of a check-up is its fairly high price. Seen from another angle, however, the value of health is infinitely higher.
Remember that a complete medical examination is much less expensive than examining each organ separately. Some clinics offer a “small check-up”, in which, on the recommendation of the family doctor, each body system in which the doctor has found a problem is examined.
Keep in mind that many serious diseases develop with virtually no symptoms. These simple steps will help you detect them at an early stage, or simply confirm that you are perfectly healthy.
