4 Reasons Why You Should Never Ignore Health Screenings

Health is wealth. If you are healthy, you are able to live and enjoy every happy moment. You can eat anything you want to, travel alone anywhere, and do much more than a sick person can’t!

Right from childhood, we have been taught to eat well because our eating habits have a significant impact on our health. But, is eating nutrition-rich foods enough to stay healthy?

The honest answer is no. No matter how healthy you eat, you can still develop diseases that are only detected when symptoms appear. And sometimes it’s too late. That’s how the concept of health screening emerged.

There are countless benefits of health screening. Some of the major ones include:

1. Early Detection of Disease
   This is the biggest benefit of health screening, you are able to avoid illnesses that can leave you on your deathbed. Aged people, in particular, have to deal with blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems.

If they are screened regularly, such problems can be detected and treated at the earliest. The earlier such complications are sorted out the fewer complications occur in the future.

And sometimes they are not 100% curable, but small changes in lifestyle and taking medicines can improve the quality of life.

But what if you wait for the symptoms to appear before you see a doctor? Of course, there will be complications -- often beyond the doctor’s control.

Experts recommend the following screenings for adults:

Screening for high blood pressure.
Screening for high cholesterol.
Screening for obesity.
Screening for abnormal blood glucose and type 2 diabetes.
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Screening for osteoporosis.
Screening for hepatitis C.
Screening for HIV.
Screening for all types of cancers

1. Avoid Health Problems Common in Your Family
   Many of us are at risk of having an inherited condition, which may manifest itself later in life. Certain cancers are genetic and common in families. If one of your parents or forefathers had those, your doctor may ask you to get yourself screened for the very same cancer.

With timely diagnosis, you can avoid complications. And in case you test positive for a certain problem, doctors can start the treatment right away. Remember, there’s no magic in medical science. Medicines and lifestyle changes help to a certain extent.

The same problem you could treat at an initial stage within a few weeks might become incurable after a year. So you are better off spending a few bucks regularly on your health screening.

1. Health Screening Saves You From Hefty Hospital Bills
   Let’s face it. Healthcare facilities are quite expensive. Not everyone can afford them. And the only way to avoid frequent hospital visits and overnight stays ( in case of escalation) is health screening.

Governments and some hospitals often offer health screening for free. Even if you have to pay for the screening, the fee is normally affordable. But that’s not the case when you fall sick and have to be admitted, or go through a long treatment.

Health screening is the only way to save yourself from debt because of medical bills.

1. Better Life Quality, Improved Lifespan
   Sometimes a certain disease or health problem is not 100% curable. But with timely treatment, you can improve the quality of life and lifespan. Medical science has improved a lot when it comes to the treatment of certain cancers.

A complete cure is possible if the cancer is detected at an early stage. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the cancer survival rate has improved drastically and life span is improved because of health screening.

Who Should Go for Health Screening?
Health screening is for everyone. However, the most vulnerable age group to certain cancers and other fatal health problems is 40+ individuals. Therefore, doctors recommend them to go through health screening at least once in two years.

But that doesn’t mean people under 40 are immune to health problems. In case of any symptoms, don’t delay your doctor's visit. If a certain disease is common in your family, get yourself regularly checked for that

People moving abroad will have to go through visa medical screening, which is mandatory to get entry into another country. Your employer can ask you for a health certificate before giving you an offer letter.

Is COVID-19 Test Also a Part of Health Screening Now?
Yes, if you are moving abroad or need a health certificate for any purpose, you are likely to be tested for COVID-19 as well. You might also have to go through an antibody test just in case they want to know if you have caught the virus before or not.

How Much Does Health Screening Cost in the UAE?
Charges vary from hospital to hospital and the number of tests. However, you can expect this screening to cost you anything between AED300 to AED600. The price is not much, since it’s a once-in-a-year procedure. But in the long run, it can save you much more than you would be spending on medicines and paying hospital bills.