Medical check-ups: The tests you should have according to your age

When is it advisable to start checking our health? What are the essential tests? Quirónsalud Torrevieja can answer all of our questions about medical check-ups.

We all know how important it is to be aware of our health, but sometimes it is difficult to find the time or motivation to make an appointment and have a medical check-up. The day to day is full of things to attend to and it can be easy to forget the importance of making sure that everything works properly in our body, especially if we feel good.

From the early detection of serious diseases to the slightest change in our body, regular medical check-ups are vitally important, as they help us stay healthy and alert us to any potential problems to tackle them in time. In this article, we will explore with Quirónsalud Torrevieja the importance of medical check-ups, when it is necessary to have a check-up and why it is essential not to forget them for our well-being.

Why Get an Annual Check-up

As indicated by Quirónsalud Torrevieja, thanks to medical examinations we can make a general assessment of our state of health and detect diseases early, even before symptoms that make us feel bad appear.

If what we want is a general check-up, the specialties we must choose are Family Medicine or Internal Medicine.  However, there are also more specific check-ups such as gynaecological, urological, sports …  and each one is the competence of a specific specialty.

“The tests depend on each patient. We must take into account, not only age and sex, but also family and personal history that can increase in some cases the probability of suffering from some diseases, “says Dr. Gemma Ramón, responsible for Medical Check-ups at Quirónsalud Torrevieja.

What diseases do medical check-ups help detect?

“Check-ups are very useful, for example, to detect diseases that increase cardiovascular risk (high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus…). These diseases in their beginnings are usually asymptomatic and increase the likelihood that we have heart problems, thrombosis … They are also useful in some types  of cancer that can be detected early, considerably increasing the chances of treatment with a good prognosis,” says Gemma Ramón.

At what age should you start check-ups?

“It’s advisable at any age.  Just as during childhood periodic reviews are carried out, it must also be done during adulthood.  What changes, depending on age, are the physical exams and complementary tests recommended,” explains Dr. Ramon.

What are the essential early detection tests according to our age?

– In the case of women, gynaecological check-ups are essential:

• On the one hand, the realisation of a cytology that helps us detect possible malignant cells in the cervix. This test must be done from the age of 25 or three years after starting sexual intercourse.
• On the other hand, it is necessary to monitor the breasts, performing self-examinations from the age of 20 and with complementary tests:  ultrasound from the age of 30 and mammography from the age of 40.

– In the case of men, an assessment of the prostate must be made from the age of 45, at least, with a blood determination of PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen)

– In addition, in both sexes it is convenient to perform screening (screening) of colon cancer from the age of 45 with a faecal occult blood study.

And from the age of 50?

According to experts, from the age of 50 a check-up should consist of complete blood and urine tests, faecal occult blood tests, basic imaging tests (chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound) and electrocardiogram (this for both sexes).

In addition, as we have advanced in the previous point, in men a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) and urological ultrasound will be necessary, and in women cytology, gynaecological ultrasound, mammography and breast ultrasound.

There are more diagnostic tests such as MRIs, CT scans … What information do they provide and how do they help rule out certain diseases?

From Quirónsalud they detail that there are medical tests that are specifically requested when we have a specific suspicion because they help us to have more information about the area we want to study.  For example, MRI tests or computed tomography (CT) scans can provide a wealth of information about our bodies, allowing doctors to more accurately diagnose and rule out certain diseases.

These tests provide detailed images of organs, bones, muscles, and other tissues, helping to detect any abnormalities that may indicate a potential condition.  By using these tests, doctors can rule out or confirm certain suspicions and determine the best treatment for the patient.