Health screening is checking of certain health status/function before any symptoms/ signs appeared. As we are getting too busy in our daily life with high demand from our family, work and society. It is essential that we should look after our health especially for the common health problems.

Health screening allow us to know certain aspect of our health status especially we have certain high risk family factors, or do not have a regular medical check up.

We love our family and our life so we should check our health functions before any symptoms appear as it would be too late when there is complications arise from uncontrolled hypertension, diabetic mellitus, kidney dysfunction etc. We would then get advices for the Dos' and Don’ts' so as not to allow health status deteriorate.

Even if you feel fine, you should still see your provider for regular checkups, especially for high risk or individuals above certain age groups. These visits can avoid problems in the future.

For example, the only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked regularly. Cancer, High blood sugar and high cholesterol level may also not have any symptoms in the early stages.

In an aging population with fast paced society where you always eat out, when you have bad lifestyle like smoking, drinking, eating fast food with high salt food or one has family history of cancer or chronic disease like hypertension and diabetic, health screening will be good to detect disease.

• Prevention of common health problems like hypertension, diabetes, liver and renal problem, especially when your health screening results show borderline disease manifestation

• Common cancers in our society, early detection before symptoms appear

• Before marriage, couples should screen for conditions that will affect the fertility and common health problems that will affect the health status.

• Before starting a new career, have a peace of mind and idea of your health status

• Having certain bad habits like smoking, drinking, bad eating habits, past infection should be considered as high risks for certain health issues. Hence check-ups are necessary.

• Occupational health hazards, for example, frequent exposure to certain chemicals / inhalants, and/or radioactive substances may have undesirable consequences.

• Personalised health screening based on a thorough pre-screening questionnaire in the clinic to ensure appropriate parameters screened to be as accurate as possible, one should always discuss with the doctor to plan the types of test you should do.

• Careful selection of tests types in the screening packages, to be as disease-specific as possible to prevent risk of unnecessary treatment and investigation

Note : Understand that not all diseases detected can change the natural history of the disease

There is no definite age as long as you are 18 and above. You should visit your health care provider regularly, even if you feel healthy. The purpose of these visits is to:

• As some diseases are not present with symptoms in the early stage, health screening helps for early detection with thorough tests and imaging for necessary early intervention

• Assess your risk for future medical problems

• Encourage a healthy lifestyle

• Update vaccinations