Top 3 Benefits of Health Screening

Discover the importance of screening tests and the health benefits that result from their use.

Everyone should attend routine medical appointments for various screening tests throughout their lifetime. These are optional but have many benefits for people who attend. Detecting illnesses early is essential for treatment and will provide an individual with the best possible outcome. 

Depending on an individual’s medical history, extra health screening tests might be offered to check for specific diseases or genetic conditions. These additional tests will only be provided on the advice of a medical professional.

1. Detecting illnesses early 

The early detection of illnesses can make a significant difference to a patient’s life; at this stage, treatment is usually more straightforward and can be more effective. The long-term outcome is also frequently improved. Many common illnesses can be detected early by using specific screening tests. 

Screening for cancer 

Cancer is the diagnosis everybody dreads receiving, so it can make people reluctant to attend screening sessions. However, these checks are vital for improving the prognosis of many common cancers. 

Cancers that can be screened for include,

• Bowel 
• Breast 
• Ovarian 
• Prostate 
• Lung 
• Cervical 

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Treatment can be started early if cancer is diagnosed before any signs occur. This means before any metastatic spread to other areas of the body, significantly improving an individual's survival time. 

Detecting heart disease

Frequently, the first sign of many heart conditions is when someone becomes unwell, which can be life-threatening. However, a routine ECG to check the health of the heart is helpful for picking up early signs of illness. This allows simple treatments to be started before severe symptoms of heart disease or a heart attack occur. It also enables lifestyle changes to be made that can improve the health of a person's heart. 

Screening for chronic diseases

Chronic diseases are illnesses that need to be managed, often throughout life, as they are not usually curable. However, testing early for these common conditions can make them simpler to treat. 

Examples of common chronic illnesses,

• Thyroid disease 
• Nutritional deficiencies 
• Diabetes 
• High blood pressure

Alongside medication, there are usually a few lifestyle changes that may improve the quality of life of a patient. These changes have more effect the earlier they are started, showing how important it is for well-being checks to occur.  

2. Making lifestyle improvements 

As people age, diseases are more likely to occur, so regular health checks and wellness screens are vital. Making people aware of any conditions they are at risk of developing can help encourage them to make positive changes to their living habits. 

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Simple changes that can improve health 

People can quickly get into bad habits that can have significant adverse health effects if continued over a long time. The results of well-being checks may encourage lifestyle improvements, including,  

• Eating healthily 
• Increasing exercise 
• Maintaining healthy sleep patterns 
• Reducing alcohol intake 
• Quitting smoking 

Small changes such as eating a healthier diet and increasing exercise levels can have many benefits. It will not only result in health improvements but will also make some illnesses less likely to develop. The health benefits will also extend to improving mental well-being.  

3. Discover any family health risks 

Certain diseases can be inherited, so they are passed down through families from parents to kids, often unknowingly. It can be many years before inherited conditions are detected, as usually it is not until signs of illness show that they are discovered. 

The use of health screening for genetic conditions can determine if a family member suffers from an inherited condition. The results of these tests will decide if they are likely to become ill from the disease or if they are at risk of passing it on.  

Benefits of testing for inherited diseases,

• Illnesses can be detected before they make an individual unwell. 
• Allows the patient time to understand the probability of them developing a condition.
• Enables lifestyle changes to be made early to prevent the disease from progressing or so as to make the condition more manageable. 
• Improves mental health by allowing questions to be answered, thus helping reduce anxiety. 
• Enables the illness to be monitored with regular tests.

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Importance of screening tests 

Screening tests are routinely performed at various stages of life, from pregnancy checks and newborn tests to middle-aged wellness assessments. Although attending these appointments can feel daunting, these tests are often quick to perform and can significantly improve the prognosis if an abnormality is detected.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)