IS ROUTINE HEALTH CHECKUP IMPORTANT? SHOULD YOU POSTPONE IT?
There used to be a time when people thought maintaining good health is a secret to leading a happy life. Now with the Covid-19 Pandemic, all normal concepts of lifestyle have changed. People have become very cautious. Wearing a mask, cleaning hands frequently, and maintaining social distance are the main protocols to follow for the general public.
Why should we conduct Routine Health Checkups?
Health checkups are as imperative as brushing your teeth. By brushing your teeth you keep the bacteria away and by doing a routine check you keep your body fit not giving room for imaginary delusions. If you ignore the need for routine health checkups, it may lead to serious complications due to delay in testing. Some diseases can be cured with early detection. Change in food habits and adopting a healthy lifestyle by following yoga can help people bounce back to good health.
It is strongly advised not to postpone routine checks like diagnostic tests and blood tests. These tests help monitor and help us manage to stay in pink of health. If you are diagnosed with any chronic health problems, please don’t neglect the regular checkups. Take proper medical care and have a positive outlook.
The most susceptible for COVID are children under the age group of 11yrs, pregnant women and people above 65 years of age. Children require frequent health monitoring to ensure appropriate growth and good health, which is to follow for the rest of their life. First priority should be given to immunization and vaccination for children and the recommended schedule should be followed strictly.
Pregnant Women& Health Checkups
Moving on to pregnant women, this time is the most testing wherein utmost care is provided. Routine checkups are imperative for the health of the fetus and the mother-to-be. Ultrasound Scanning to monitor the growth and health of the child within the mother should not be missed, to rule out any possible complications for childbirth at a later time. Ultrasound Scans and digital imaging also reveal many ailments of the unborn child.
But what is the advice for senior citizens of 65 years and above: stay put at home or go out at your own risk?
This section of the people were the worst sufferers during the pandemic. Any symptom of cough or cold, they could not visit their usual doctors as they may be sent for unnecessary tests and may have to quarantine themselves to await test results. Another dilemma was what if they get infected in the test center where there may be some asymptomatic cases. So, in this period of the pandemic, senior citizens distanced themselves from hospitals. Some of them who suffered from diabetes or hypertension were prone to more risk and had to continue with their routine medication.
In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, he was warned by a soothsayer “-to beware of ‘Ides of March”.
Last March 2020 turned out to be the month of panic and pandemics and lockdowns. The elderly above the age of 65yrs were advised to stay put at home. No visits to near and dear ones, no exercise at the gym or cup of coffee with friends, even parks were closed. Something as simple as maintaining mental and emotional balance becomes difficult during such times. Everybody takes precautions but somewhere fear lurks constantly. People tend to become paranoid about staying single and stuck at home. For example, a known patient who visited us complained that she could not smell a week-old pineapple and imagined that her olfactory senses are dysfunctional and could be a symptom for COVID -19, and later when she used a disinfectant, she could smell it.
Is it safe to go for a Routine Health Checkup now?
Now with Vaccines making their rounds people are less stressed. Some amount of normalcy is returning to the elderly who have been avoiding medical tests and care should not further postpone their health check-up. Getting proper care is the safest way to overcome unnecessary mental crises, especially for septuagenarians with their children living abroad. Meeting the family doctor relieves a lot of stress and some pep talk on diet and fitness helps to clear doubts and fears.
Now with vaccines being given to frontline health workers situations are easing out. But a visit to any hospital is still a matter of concern. But some health care centers follow strict guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting their premises. At add-on Scans & Labs, we follow all protocols of COVID Safety as outlined by the Government of India, to ensure the safety of our staff and of patients who visit us. We screen not only their employees but also the visitors and patients to check if they have COVID19-like symptoms and also provide sanitizers near the entrance and elevators. All staff wear masks at all times within the premises and do not leave any chance for the spread of the virus.
If you still feel uncertain about personally visiting us, you can consult our specialist Doctor by phone or on video through the prior appointment and discuss your issues and then visit in person if there is a necessity for any medical test. To ensure our patients don’t miss out on their scheduled tests, add-on Scans & Labs offers home Sample Collections.
Book an appointment with our lab for your routine health checkup. Alternately, for blood tests, book a Home Sample Collection with us. You can also avail of specialist consultation with our Doctors here if you feel unsafe in visiting doctors at primary care centers or hospitals. Call us to book an appointment or to know more about addon Scans and labs.
