Save Your Valuable Life: Conduct These Eight Vital Health Tests
Are you concerned about your health? As you become older, it becomes more important to get frequent health tests to detect any health concerns early on when they are easier to treat. This article discusses eight vital health tests that might save your life by recognising dangerous health concerns during their early stages. Visit a private health screening clinic London for the following health tests.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening
What exactly is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
Also known as AAA, it is a swelling or bulge in the aorta, the primary blood channel that transports blood from the heart to your abdomen. Detecting an aneurysm early might save a life since it can rupture unexpectedly, causing significant internal bleeding.
What does the screening entail?
The screening includes a non-invasive abdominal ultrasound examination. It is fast, dependable, and painless. The ultrasound scan looks for enlargement or swelling in the aorta.
Why is AAA Screening important?
The aorta delivers oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If an aortic aneurysm enlarges and bursts, it can result in life-threatening bleeding. Because AAA usually causes no symptoms, the screening can discover it before it ruptures, allowing for preventative actions.
When Should You Be Screened?
AAA screening is frequently provided to males over the age of 65 in the United Kingdom, where aneurysms are more common in men. It is often not administered to women, males under the age of 65, or anyone who has already had AAA therapy, as the risk is lower in these populations. If you are at risk, your doctor may advise you to seek a private health check.
What Happens After The Screening?
After the screening, you will receive your results immediately. If a problem is detected, you will get a letter stating the necessary tests or treatments.
Blood Pressure Tests
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries. Low blood pressure can induce dizziness and nausea, whereas high blood pressure frequently causes no symptoms but can damage artery walls, weaken the heart, and raise the risk of renal disease, heart disease, and stroke.
What does the test entail?
A healthcare professional will apply an inflatable cuff around your upper arm. It briefly tightens to take your blood pressure. The procedure is short, lasting around a minute. You may also buy a blood pressure monitor for home usage.
Why is blood pressure measurement necessary?
High blood pressure is a common problem, particularly among older people. In the United Kingdom, over 66% of men and 71% of women over the age of 75 have high blood pressure. Many people are unaware of it since it usually causes no symptoms, making regular testing critical for early discovery and care.
What will happen next?
If your blood pressure measurements are abnormal, your doctor will order more tests to confirm the results. If it is consistently high, you will be recommended to make lifestyle changes, and in extreme situations, drugs may be prescribed. If you have low blood pressure, your doctor may recommend that you make lifestyle changes, such as drinking more water.
Bowel cancer screening
What is bowel cancer screening?
Bowel cancer screening can detect possible problems before symptoms appear. Although it cannot diagnose cancer, it can detect warning symptoms that need further research.
What does the screening entail?
You will get a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kit in the mail, along with instructions for collecting a stool sample. The sample is sent to a laboratory for examination, and the results are usually available within two weeks.
Who should be screened?
In the United Kingdom, men and women aged 60 to 74 are screened for bowel cancer every two years. The scheme is progressively extending to cover those over the age of 50. If you are over 75, you can get a screening kit by contacting your local health authority.
Why is screening important?
Bowel cancer is the UK's fourth most common cancer. Early identification greatly increases treatment results and survival rates.
What Happens After The Screening?
The test scans for blood in the faeces. If blood is found, it does not always imply malignancy; nevertheless, more tests like a colonoscopy, may be necessary to rule out any problems. A tiny number of people get aberrant findings and may require extra diagnostic testing.
Breast screening
Why is breast screening important?
Routine breast screening is an excellent technique to detect breast cancer in its early stages. Early identification increases the likelihood of effective therapy. However, there is a minor danger of over-diagnosis, which can lead to unneeded testing and treatments.
What does the screening entail?
The exam involves obtaining X-rays of each breast, known as mammograms. Each breast is put on an X-ray machine and lightly pressed with a transparent plate for a few seconds. Some women may find this mildly painful, although the treatment is short.
When Should You Be Screened?
In the UK, women receive their first invitation for breast screening around their 50th birthday. Following that, they will be invited every three years until they reach the age of 70. In certain areas, invitations are extended from age 47 to age 73 as part of a study to expand the screening program. If you are over 70, you may still have a mammogram every three years by contacting your local breast screening facility.
What will happen next?
Test results will be received by you and your GP within two weeks. Most women achieve normal outcomes. However, some may be sent to an evaluation clinic for additional testing.
Cervical screening
Cervical screening, often known as a smear test or pap smear, helps prevent cervical cancer by finding abnormalities in the cervix that may progress to cancer if left untreated.
What does the screening entail?
During the cervical screening, a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or a nurse, will insert a speculum to gently open the vaginal walls. This permits them to collect cells from the cervix with a little, soft brush for inspection. Most people find the process mildly unpleasant, but it is not painful.
Why Is This Test Important?
Cervical cancer is a major health problem, with roughly 2,700 new cases identified each year in the UK. Early diagnosis through screening can help discover abnormal cells before they turn cancerous, potentially saving lives.
How Frequently Should You Have A Cervical Screening?
In the United Kingdom, women aged 25 to 64 are entitled to a free cervical screening every three to five years. Women above the age of 65 are normally not asked for screening unless they haven't been checked since the age of 50 or have had abnormal test findings.
What Happens After The Screening?
Following the test, the healthcare professional will notify you of the expected time it will take to acquire your results. The majority of cervical screening results are normal. However, around one in every twelve women receives results indicating abnormalities in cervical cells, prompting more studies and potential therapy.
Cholesterol Tests
Cholesterol is a form of fat that passes through the circulation. High cholesterol levels can collect in the arteries, raising the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What is included in the test?
You may check your cholesterol levels by visiting your GP or a local pharmacy. To assess cholesterol levels in your blood, you will be given either a finger prick or a blood test.
Why is this test necessary?
High cholesterol rarely causes symptoms, so you may have increased levels without recognising it. Testing is the only method to know your cholesterol levels.
What Happens When You Have High Cholesterol?
If you have high cholesterol, you can lower it by changing your diet, keeping a healthy weight, and exercising regularly. If you have heart disease or are at risk of acquiring it, your doctor may recommend cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins.
Skin checks
Regular skin exams are required to monitor moles and discover early symptoms of skin cancer. Although most moles are benign, some can progress to malignant melanoma, an uncommon but dangerous kind of skin cancer.
What Does a Skin Check Include?
If you detect any changes in the size, shape, or colour of a mole, you should visit your doctor. They may inspect the mole and, if required, recommend you for more tests.
Why is this test important?
Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the UK, with over 16,700 new cases identified each year. Early discovery and effective treatment dramatically increases the likelihood of survival, making regular skin checks essential.
How Frequently Should You Check Your Skin?
It is advised that you inspect your moles every few weeks. If you notice any changes, see your doctor right away.
What Happens If An Abnormal Mole Is Discovered?
If your doctor finds a suspicious mole, you will be referred for more testing. A medical professional may choose to remove the mole for investigation. If the mole is proven to be non-cancerous, no more treatment is required. However, if melanoma is verified, more tests may be performed to determine whether the disease has spread.
Importance of Vaccines
While most people recover from diseases like pneumonia, influenza, or shingles without significant problems, these infections can pose substantial health risks and could be fatal, particularly in older folks. Vaccination is the most effective strategy to protect yourself against these disorders. It is advisable to be vaccinated before any symptoms appear.
Book an appointment
Do not wait until symptoms occur. Schedule an appointment at a trusted private health screening clinic London to explore which screenings are appropriate for you. By remaining proactive, you can gain control of your health and save your life. Our medical professionals at Health Screening Clinic would be more than excited to provide you with the needed medical care. Give us a call.