Modern lifestyle has led to many unhealthy habits in our daily routine; this has led to the alarming increase of lifestyle-oriented ailments and other health issues. Doctors recommend undertaking preventive health check-ups to avoid complications. So, let’s delve into why preventive health check-ups are important.
A preventive health measure involves a complete medical evaluation to help identify any potential health problems and allows for early diagnosis and treatment.
Anyone can opt for a preventive health check-up to detect early warning signs of underlying illnesses in the body. A basic health check-up is recommended for all age groups and can be taken once every 6-12 months or as advised by your doctor. Additionally, opting for a comprehensive health insurance plan can help cover the costs of these check-ups, ensuring you stay proactive about your health without financial stress.
An annual preventive health check-up provides a wide range of diagnostic tests to evaluate your complete blood count (CBC), fasting blood sugar (FBS), creatinine (CRT), thyroid function, lipid profile, kidney function, liver function, glycosylated haemoglobin (HBA1c), Vitamin B 12, Vitamin D, Urine routine examination (URE), mammography (for women over age of 40 years), prostate-specific antigen (for men aged over 50), PAP smear, bone density, etc.
Benefits of a preventive health check-up
The advantages of a preventive health check-up include the following:
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Early detection of health problems
Regular health check-ups can help you identify early signs of underlying diseases. It also helps start the treatment of an illness in its early stages and improves the chances of successful management and recovery.
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Improve your quality of life
Preventive health check-ups can improve a person’s quality of life by identifying health risks associated with an underlying health issue or any pre-existing disease. They can guide you in making lifestyle changes to avoid further complications from the ailment.
With regular preventive health check-ups, you can avoid frequent hospitalisations and costly medical treatments in the long run. This is particularly applicable to advanced stages of diseases like cancer and kidney or lung ailment.
Doctors recommend that preventive health check-ups or screening should begin at 20 years of age if you have specific risk factors, which include:
- Existing health problems like diabetes and BMI above 30
- A family medical history of certain ailments like diabetes, cardiac disease, and cancer
- Lead a sedentary lifestyle and/or smoke or drink excessively
Conclusion
Preventive health check-ups can help individuals prevent and/or manage chronic health conditions and maintain good health. You can also avail of a tax rebate of up to INR 5,000 for preventive health check-ups under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act. But do check with your insurer whether your healthcare plan covers preventive health check-ups.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It may contain outdated data and information regarding the relevant industry. It is advised to verify the relevance of the data and information before taking any major steps. ICICI Lombard is not liable for any inaccuracies or consequences resulting from the use of this outdated information.
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