What is a complete medical checkup and why is it important?

Medical check-ups have become important with the passage of time in people, since with these health risks can be detected and prevented. This is only done by a medical professional, to provide greater security.

It should be noted that in medical check-ups there are a variety of tests that serve to detect a health problem, each being important and necessary at the same time. In addition, these have characteristics that each person should know.

In this article you will find all the necessary information about medical check-ups, where their purpose and what are the characteristics they possess. In the same way, all the existing exams to be carried out are mentioned.

What is a complete medical checkup?

The medical check-up is a review of our health, through examinations or observations made by an authorized professional. The objective of these is to prevent pathologies that are associated with work, sex, age and other aspects.

In this sense, astudythat was carried out at theCatholic University of Chile, mentions that the medical check-up is a systematic and professional form of preventive medicine, to detect and specify health risks in people through tests and studies.

Features of the complete medical check-up

Medical check-ups have certain characteristics that every person should know at the time of having one, in order to be more informed and sure of it. Among them, we can take into account the following:

Allows to verify the state of health

The main characteristic of medical check-ups is that they allow to verify the state of health in people, this being one of the best ways to detect any possible disease that appears early.

In this sense, an article published in the Revista Médica Clínica las Condes explains that medical check-ups function as preventive medicine, since professionals can verify the state of health to specify or avoid risks in people.

All organs and functions of the body are evaluated

In health check-ups, doctors, especially internal medicine doctors, must evaluate all the organs and functions of the body to rule out any disease that puts the health of patients at risk. In order to ensure its proper functioning.

In this sense, the functioning of the lungs, the heartbeat, the size of the lymph nodes, the color of the tongue and tonsils, the internal state of the ears, and any protuberance or abnormality on the skin and body are usually examined. .

Must be done at least once a year

Medical check-ups should be carried out once a year in both men and women, in order to adequately prevent any disease that puts health at risk. These are even required with less time for jobs.

In an article that was published in the Virtual Health Library in Honduras , one or two annual consultations are recommended for men and women, to prevent, minimize or treat any disease that occurs in the patient.

Detect diseases and risk factors

Another of the main characteristics of a routine medical consultation is that they are carried out in order to detect diseases and risk factors that harm people in the future. Therefore, it works as preventive medicine.

ToReport published by the Mexican government explains that medical check-ups provide the benefit of detecting diseases that are in their initial phase and that have not presented symptoms.

It is performed in healthy people or with risky lifestyles

People who consider themselves healthy or lead a risky lifestyle can also have a regular medical check-up, since their main function is to ensure good health and disease prevention.

Allows timely therapeutic measures to be applied if necessary

Medical check-ups offer the advantage that therapeutic measures can be applied to people if necessary. This generally happens when a disease is detected in its early stages and prevents it from developing.

Some therapeutic measures that doctors usually recommend to their patients are the moderate use of drugs, rest, exercise, good hygiene, a balanced and personalized diet, avoiding stress, and using protection against exposure to the sun or chemicals.

It can be done in clinics or specialized centers

The facility offered by medical check-ups to people is that they can be performed at any clinic or specialized center, guaranteeing greater accessibility for the majority. In addition, they are quick and easy to do.

Private or public clinics can be visited, as long as they have the necessary staff and equipment for the consultation we need, taking into account that the first is on a first-come, first-served basis and the second is by appointment, as the case may be.

Exams of the complete medical check-up

A complete medical check-up is made up of a series of tests that have their own function. All are important and must be carried out by professionals authorized to carry them out, some of these evaluations being the following:

Clinic history

A clinical history is a detailed health report that is made to a patient, where all their medical history is recorded chronologically. This serves as a legal document for doctors to offer personalized care.

Medical records are totally private and binding between the doctor and the patient. These serve as a basis to be able to carry out diagnoses and treatments, according to the conditions in which each person is.

In this sense, some patient data that is acquired are age, type of diet, last sexual relationship, pathologies of close relatives, allergies, habits, consumption of chemical substances, period of puberty and housing.

Detailed physical evaluation

Physical evaluations are detailed observations or explorations, which are made to the patient’s body, to determine whether or not they have some type of alteration on the surface of the body that has been caused by a disease.

ToStudy carried out at the National University of Mar del Plata in Argentina , explains that the physical examination is a method to obtain objective, observable and measurable data on the state of health in the patient’s body.

Within the physical evaluation, tests are carried out such as strength resistance, weight, height, voluntary and involuntary reflexes, flexibility, examination of the skin, state of the teeth, vision examination, and auscultation of the respiratory system.

Blood test

The analyzes or blood tests are carried out in laboratories to be able to observe in a general way the state of health of the patients. They also help diagnose diseases such as anemia, blood cancer and more.

Urine and stool test

Urine tests are an analysis that is carried out in a laboratory in order to detect or control changes in the health of patients. These may be urinary tract infections, kidney disease, or diabetes.

Likewise, the stool test is performed in the same way as the urine test in a laboratory, and it only consists of delivering a small sample to be able to evaluate it. In this, conditions such as viruses, parasites or bacteria that affect the digestive tract are detected.

Blood pressure monitoring

This test is used to measure the pressure in the arteries when the heartis beating. It is simple and quick to do, to detect if a person has hypertension or to control it when they suffer from it.

Likewise, we can measure blood pressure with a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer cuff at the level of the heart, taking into account that the normal values for systolic pressure (heart pumping rapidly) are less than 120, and for diastolic pressure (heart in rest) is less than 80.

Cardiology Exams

There are a variety of cardiological tests, which are used to evaluate a specific pathology or cardiac disability. With heart disease, it is important to find and control it early so that it is easier to treat.

Some cardiology tests are electrocardiogram, echocardiography, CT scan of the heart, chest X-ray, cardiac catheterization, stress tests, and blood pressure monitoring with a meter.

Ophthalmological evaluation

The ophthalmological evaluation is an examination carried out by an ophthalmologist to observe the patient’s eyes in detail. This begins by measuring visual acuity and internal structures and then ends with a diagnosis.

Chest X-Rays

Chest X-rays are an examination that is generally done with X-rays, where images of body organs such as the heart, lungs, spinal bones, and chest can be obtained by means of ionizing radiation.

Hearing Evaluation

Said evaluation consists of a series of tests, such as clinical audiometry, tympanometry and speech audiometry, which must be performed to measure and determine the degree of hearing loss in the patient, and the location of the problem. However, it is complex and very important in the field of otology.

Ultrasounds of the abdomen and pelvis

Ultrasounds of the abdomen and pelvis are generally used during pregnancy to examine the baby. However, they can detect cysts, tumors, kidney stones, pelvic or abdominal pain, and even abnormal vaginal bleeding.

These evaluations provide images of the patient’s organs through ultrasound equipment. What is usually seen in this exam is the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and urinary bladder. The latter is applied by means of urological ultrasound.

Upper and lower endoscopy

This test is performed with an instrument that is shaped like a thin tube, with light and a lens to observe. It is used to explore the inside of the stomach, esophagus and duodenum in the upper part.

The lower part shows the colon and the large intestine. Both are used to diagnose diseases in the digestive system and how to treat them. Sometimes the implementation of this exam is annoying and even painful for some.

Cytology in women

Cytology is a routine test that is performed only on women, and is used to detect diseases. This is done annually and consists of taking a sample from the cervix. It is easy to do and is not painful.

skin exam

Skin tests are used to detect allergies, bacterial or fungal infections on it. This is achieved by visualizing in detail any abnormal spots, redness, sores, or swelling on a mole.

Vaccine update

Periodically, people should update their vaccines against certain diseases, since they provide immunization against them. When carrying out a complete medical check-up, you must update and keep a record of them.

Among the vaccines that must be updated under the supervision of a doctor, we can mention hepatitis, yellow fever, tuberculosis, rubella, chickenpox, measles and influenza.

Importance of a complete medical check-up

The importance of a complete medical check-up must be absolute, since diseases can be prevented thanks to this evaluation. It also helps to treat and eliminate them easily, with the advice of doctors and nurses in their initial phases.

This makes it necessary to prioritize health, and not put it aside until symptoms of discomfort due to a disease appear. On the other hand, it is usually a mandatory requirement for some specific jobs.

In the same way, it is important to have a medical check-up if we have a family history of a chronic disease that is hereditary, in order to prevent its development or control it with personalized treatment.