Health Screening

Health screening includes a series of comprehensive physical examinations, tests, or procedures used to detect a disease or determine health risks, even when a person shows no symptoms.

• Most basic health screenings include common tests such as measuring Body Mass Index (BMI), blood tests for sugar and cholesterol, and blood pressure measurement, liver and kidney function tests.
• Some health screenings can also include treadmill stress tests, thyroid function tests, chest-xrays and more.
• Ultrasounds are not only used during pregnancy, they are also used for examining internal organs such as the kidneys, liver, pancreas, bladder, and more during health screening. Abdominal ultrasounds measure blood flow to your internal organs, and is used to check for conditions such as tumours, cysts, fluid collection, blockages, etc.
• Mammogram & Pap Smear for ladies. A women’s health screening usually includes a mammogram, a pap smear test, and a pelvic exam. Ideally, women over the age of 40 should go for mammograms annually and perform monthly breast self-examination to check for signs of breast cancer. Additionally, regular pap smears are recommended for women who have had sexual intercourse to help screen for cervical cancer.

On top of early detection of diseases, health screenings also identify health risks an individual may face in the future. Monitoring blood glucose levels through blood tests, for example, can detect a pre-diabetes state, which can help the individual kickstart a change in his lifestyle and diet to prevent diabetes onset later on.

Also, certain conditions may not show any signs and symptoms. Very often, individuals with high blood pressure may not feel any symptoms but the increase in blood pressure can stress out the heart and blood vessels. This eventually causes damage over time and can potentially lead to a heart attack or stroke. Health screenings and regular health check ups can help prevent this through early detection.

Health Screening can detect a wide range of diseases and conditions including:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Colorectal cancer
• Breast cancer and cervical cancer (women)
• Prostate cancer (men)

If you’re coming in for a health screening, here’s what you need to do:

• Set aside half a day minimally for your tests (exact duration depends on the package selected).
• Fast from food and drinks at least 8 hours prior to your appointment. Plain water is allowed during fasting.
• Diabetic medication should not be taken on the morning  of your screening appointment. Regular high blood pressure and heart medication can be continued.
• For stool analysis, a specimen bottle will be provided on the day of the test. Alternatively, you may collect the specimen bottle from our clinic prior to the appointment and collect your stools the night before.
• For women doing a pap smear or pelvic examination, it is best to schedule it 5 days before or after menstruation for accurate results.
• If taking the treadmill stress test, please bring along jogging shoes and comfortable clothes.
• Bring along any past medical records (doctor’s memo/X-ray films/ECG/medical report) or medications, if any.
• Bring along your Identity Card/Passport for registration and verification purposes.

For a more in-depth do’s and don’ts of specific tests, contact our staff for more information.

After you have completed the health screening tests, a second appointment will be scheduled after 48 hours. Your doctor will then go through your test results and/or health risks with you in detail, suggesting any necessary lifestyle changes and treatment, if any. This is also the best time to ask your doctor regarding any health concerns you may have.

If you’re overdue for a health check up, there’s no reason to wait. Schedule a full health screening at Lifescan Medical Centre Singapore today.