What is a check-up in simple words and why is it needed?

Check-up is an examination that includes various diagnostic methods and allows a person to check the condition of various organs and body systems in a few hours or days, and to detect health problems, if any.

Many diseases in the early stages do not have any clear symptoms and are detected already when serious disturbances in the body have occurred. A medical check-up allows people to know about a health problem when it first arises, which means that you will have the opportunity to fix it as quickly as possible. For example, you can check-up and find that you have a slightly elevated blood sugar – not yet diabetes, but not the norm. The problem is just beginning, but you are already aware and can take the right steps to avoid developing diabetes. If during the diagnosis you find a malignant tumor at an early stage, it can literally save your life.

Check-up is voluntary. The person independently decides that it is time for him / her to check the state of health. The examination may include various laboratory tests and instrumental diagnostics. Today, many clinics offer different types of comprehensive examinations; special check-ups have been developed for women and men, for different ages and conditions. This approach makes it possible to closely monitor health and timely identify various problems.

Who needs a check-up and in what cases?

You can get a check-up diagnostic if:

• You have signs of declining health. You often feel too tired without previous exertion, you are bothered by regular headaches, you have frequent colds, sleep disturbances and any other signs of deterioration in well-being – these are signals that you need to undergo examinations and find out what is the reason for their appearance. People often do not take these uncharacteristic symptoms seriously. But such manifestations can indicate a number of dangerous diseases. And the sooner you find out what’s going on with you, the better.
• You have chronic diseases. Regular check-ups aimed at monitoring the state of health help to notice in time if a chronic illness is aggravated. A complete body check-up can help you see a more holistic picture of your health. This can be useful for more accurate diagnosis, which in turn will help to choose the most effective treatment. In addition, chronic diseases often lead to systemic complications, and regular examinations will make it possible to detect their occurrence in time.
• You are a healthy person. Even if you do not complain about your health, it is worth checking it periodically. At the age of 40 years, doctors recommend doing a medical check-up every 2-3 years, after 40 years – annually.
• You are in a high risk group. Periodic health check-ups should be done by those who work in hazardous industries, whose work is associated with an increased risk of infection with pathogens, who live in adverse conditions.
• You have a hereditary predisposition to some pathologies. Hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, varicose veins, some types of cancer and many other diseases have a hereditary predisposition. Regular examinations will help to identify the appearance of pathologies in the early stages and take the situation under control.

What are the types of check-ups?

A medical check-up can be general or specialized. The general includes standard studies that check the state of the body in general without focusing on any organ or body system. “Standard” can be divided into examinations for men, women and children.

A specialized check-up is a set of diagnostics, the use of which allows to identify some specific violations in the work of certain organs and systems. Depending on what problems you are concerned about, there may be a cardiological, gastroenterological, oncological, gynecological, neurological, urological check-up.

Check-up for women

Comprehensive diagnostics for women may include various tests or studies, taking into account age and individual health characteristics.

The standard annual check-up for women usually includes:

• clinical blood test;
• determination of cholesterol indicators;
• blood glucose level;
• papillomavirus test;
• gynecological examination;
• breast ultrasound;
• sonography of the abdominal cavity organs;
• thyroid ultrasound;
• ECG;
• fluorography or chest x-ray.

Check-up tests for women may also include the determination of sex hormones, thyroid hormones, and various indicators of blood biochemistry. Additionally, there may be examinations of the organs of vision and hearing, diagnostics of the heart, blood vessels, and other organs and systems. In addition, the women’s check-up includes a visit to a gynecologist, a consultation with a cardiologist, endocrinologist and other specialists.

If a woman is going to become a mother, at the preparatory stage she needs to do a number of specific examinations, and for these needs there is a specially formed check-up for women.

Check-up for men

The “standard” check-up package for men usually includes:

• clinical blood test;
• Analysis of urine;
• determination of cholesterol and LDL;
• blood glucose level;
• ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal cavity and pelvic organs;
• ECG;
• fluorography;
• determination of hormone levels.

Also, check-up programs for men can include tests for PSA and some other tumor markers, diagnostics of the state of blood vessels, examination of the organs of vision and hearing. Also, a comprehensive examination includes a consultation with a urologist, cardiologist and other doctors.

Check-up for children

A basic pediatric examination usually includes:

• standard blood and urine tests;
• blood biochemistry (liver and kidney parameters);
• determination of the level of TSH;
• blood sugar level;
• detection of worm eggs in feces;
• ECG or echocardiography of the heart;
• ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs;
• ultrasound of the thyroid gland.

During the examination, consultations with a pediatrician, neurologist, ophthalmologist and other doctors may also be carried out. Today, many clinics that offer a complete check-up of the child’s body use a personalized approach and select tests, studies and specialist consultations based on individual needs.

How much does a check-up cost?

The cost of diagnosis can vary greatly depending on several factors:

• type of examination;
• the country in which you will undergo the health check;
• medical center where you will carry out diagnostics.

For a basic body check-up, the price can be quite low. If you need some kind of specialized diagnostics that requires the use of complex and expensive methods, the cost will be much higher.

You can undergo a check-up in different countries. If you choose diagnostics in your city, most likely it will be inexpensive, and it will be convenient in terms of logistics and time savings. But if the medical centers that are close to you do not have a very good reputation and do not inspire confidence in you, such health check-ups may not be effective. The result is a misdiagnosis or an undetected problem.

If you want to be examined not for show, but to make really high-quality diagnostics, you need to choose clinics that have a good reputation and undergo a medical check-up there. The price in such medical centers is likely to be higher than “at home”, but it will not necessarily be too expensive. For example, the cost of a check-up in Istanbul is from $400, a check-up in Munich is from $500, a check-up in Israel is from $1.000.

The advantage of the examination in well-known clinics will be the compliance of diagnostic methods with international standards, which will allow the examination to be carried out with high accuracy. Another plus of such medical centers is the opportunity to consult with doctors of various profiles who are very highly qualified.

It will take 1-2 days to complete a full check-up abroad. If you combine an examination with a vacation, you can get a double benefit: a good rest and a health check with good specialists.

How to get a check-up for free?

In Ukraine, certain diagnostics can be done free of charge if it is prescribed by a family doctor with whom a declaration is signed. Free services include a clinical blood test, urinalysis, blood sugar, cholesterol, ECG and a number of other studies. Similar programs exist in other states. However, for a full-fledged comprehensive examination, diagnostics from a free list are often not enough. In addition, such diagnostics are not always of high quality, which leads to erroneous diagnoses and incorrect treatment.

Would you like to make an examination that will be accurate and give fairly detailed information about your health? Choose a check-up program in a medical institution that is trustworthy.

Contact us via the contact form to find out more about where to get the high quality diagnostics you need.

Where you can get a check-up: the best clinics

On the MedTour platform, you can find medical centers from different countries where you can get a high-quality comprehensive examination. We offer you several options for check-ups in clinics that are in demand on our website.

Memorail Hospitals, Antalya:

• check-up for women – from $370;
• check-up for men – from $380;
• check-up for children – from $180;
• standard check-up – from $325;
• economy check-up – from $120.

Medical Park Hospitaps Network, Turkey, Istanbul:

• check-up for women – from $600;
• check-up for men – from $600;
• check-up for children – from $500;
• oncological check-up – from $650;
• cardiological check-up – from $440.

Would you like to have a check-up in a good clinic? Contact us via the contact form! The medical coordinator of MedTour will help you choose the best option for the clinic to undergo the necessary diagnostics.