Health Tests: A smart step towards preventive care

A health test, also known as imaging or screening, helps you detect certain health conditions at an early stage. It also helps you have a better chance of treatment and makes your experience more affordable too! The type of health test you need depends on many factors. These include your symptoms, age, gender, medical and family history, and lifestyle habits. Read on to learn more about types of health test and the importance and benefits of getting a health test done regularly.

What is the importance of a health test?

Here are the top 6 benefits of booking a health test at frequent intervals.

• Early detection of health conditions

  A health test such as a blood test can help your doctor identify or detect a disease before it progresses. Your doctor may also prescribe multiple tests and screenings for an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

• Checking the functions of various organs

  A health test also helps doctors check the functions of various organs in your body. Some of these include kidney, liver, thyroid, and heart.

• Identifies diseases caused by stress

  A stressful life also results in certain health conditions. These include high blood pressure, depression, hypertension, mental illness, or weight gain. A regular medical checkup can help in identifying and treating these conditions. Your doctor may also advise you on how to better manage your stress and such conditions based on your test results.

• Reduces your health expenses

  In the long run, health tests help reduce your health expenses. One reason for this is that your test results can reveal your risks towards certain health conditions. On managing your risk by changing your lifestyle, you can avoid such conditions and the subsequent expense they may result in. Another way a health test helps you reduce medical expenditure is that it helps doctors detect a health condition early. This means that you do not spend as much on treatment as you would if the condition was worse or more severe.

• Helps you know your health better

  Regular medical tests tell your doctor whether you are healthy. They also help in checking if your current treatment is working. Based on your medical test report, your doctor can tell you where you need to improve and advice you on the right steps to take for preventive care.

What are the different types of health tests?

Different types of health tests have different purposes. However, your doctor may use them for varied reasons. For example, an endoscopy of your stomach may enable your doctor to view the inside of your stomach as well as get tissues for examination. Generally, health tests are of 6 categories, which are as follows:

• Body fluid analysis (Blood test, urine test, spinal fluid)
• Endoscopy
• Measuring body functions
• Genetic testing
• Biopsy
• Imaging

How does a medical test help in diagnosis?

Diagnostic medical tests have a specific purpose – to diagnose a certain health condition. Medical tests under this category includes a CT scan, X-ray, MRI, PET scan, EEG, or ECG. These are specifically designed to help your doctor reach an accurate diagnosis.

These medical tests usually have a base result. If your medical test report values differ from the base, your doctor may either give you a diagnosis or advise you to get more health tests done. The type of medical test you need depends on your age, symptoms, and previous or existing health conditions.

Is a medical checkup different from a health test?

In general, the terms medical checkup and health test are used interchangeably by medical professionals. Both of these refer to extensive tests that help determine your current health condition.

What does a medical test report include?

Your medical test report may usually appear in two forms: either in a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ format or in a relative manner that compares your results with the base results. Medical tests of the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ format are usually used for diagnostic purposes. These determine the presence or absence of certain substances that denote a medical condition.

Medical test reports that list relative values are used to understand vital levels of substances in your body. To determine whether a value is low or high, they will compare results to normal values or a range. If they see any deviation from the normal range, you doctor may ask to consider the following:

• Booking another health test
• Getting treatment
• Making lifestyle changes

Regular medical tests are important because they make you more aware about your current health. However, keeping a track of your records can get difficult after a while. This is why you now have the option of storing your medical test reports online. You can do this with ease when you use the Health Vault on Bajaj Finserv Health.

This digital feature allows you to not only check medical reports online, but also store them easily. This allows you quick access to your reports while you are on the move. You can also book affordable health test packages on Bajaj Finserv Health. Most of them let you submit your samples from home so you can stay safe at home while giving your health the attention it deserves.