As a family medicine doctor at Parkway Shanghai, I’ve often encountered patients who, due to busy schedules or a lack of symptoms, delay routine health check-ups. However, regular health check-ups are crucial for maintaining good health, especially for the expatriate community, who often face unique challenges balancing work, travel, and personal care.
1. Why Health Check-Ups Matter
Health check-ups are not just about identifying existing conditions—they’re a key part of disease prevention. Many chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or even heart disease, may develop silently without symptoms. Unfortunately, during this silent phase, these conditions may still cause damage to your body, potentially leading to long-term health complications.
Routine health check-ups help detect these issues early, allowing for timely intervention. Early detection can often mean simpler, more effective treatments, and in many cases, lifestyle adjustments can prevent diseases from progressing.
2. Family History and Preventative Care
As we grow older, it’s common for family members, including parents, to develop conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol. Understanding your family’s medical history is an essential part of your health check-up. It enables us to identify any genetic or familial risks and recommend advanced screenings or preventive measures tailored to you.
3. Busy Lives and the Expat Reality
Life as an expat is often demanding, with long work hours, frequent travel, and a fast-paced lifestyle. These demands can make it easy to overlook or ignore health symptoms. Scheduling a health check-up provides you with a dedicated time to focus on your health—a chance to pause, reflect, and prioritize one of your most valuable assets.
A comprehensive health check-up offers the opportunity to reevaluate your lifestyle, identify potential risks, and plan for long-term health.
4. What to Expect in a Health Check-Up
Health check-ups vary depending on individual needs, but they often include a range of assessments such as:
Body Measurements: Checking your weight and blood pressure to screen for conditions like hypertension or obesity.
Blood Tests: Measuring cholesterol and blood sugar levels to detect early signs of diabetes, heart disease, or other metabolic conditions.
Heart Health: An ECG or heart ultrasound may be recommended, particularly if you have risk factors for heart disease.
Cancer Screening: Depending on your age and medical history, this could include a mammogram, breast ultrasound, or stool tests to screen for colorectal cancer.
Other Tests: Urine analysis, thyroid function tests, or specific evaluations based on your family history and lifestyle.
At Parkway Hospital, health check-ups are personalized to suit your needs. If you’re unsure which tests are appropriate for you, a family medicine doctor can guide you based on your medical history, age, and lifestyle.
No matter your age or current health status, it’s never too late to prioritize your health. Regular health check-ups empower you to take charge of your well-being, offering peace of mind and the opportunity to make positive changes.
If you’re ready to schedule your health check-up or have questions about what’s involved, our team at Parkway Hospital is here to help. Your health is your greatest investment—don’t wait to give it the attention it deserves.
Article contributed by Dr. Victoria king, General Practitioner of Parkway.
