What is health screening? Tests that look for disease early
Health screening checks for diseases before you have symptoms, which can make some conditions easier to treat. Which tests you need depends on age, sex, family history and risk factors.
Scientist and Chief Medical OfficerDr. Ambed Mishra, PharmD, PhDEducational information only, not medical advice. Always ask a qualified doctor about your own health. In an emergency call 112 (India) or 911 (US). Read the full disclaimer.
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Most of us go to a doctor when something hurts. Health screening is different: it means testing for a disease before you have any symptoms. This article explains the idea in plain words, using information from MedlinePlus, a service of the US National Library of Medicine.
What is health screening?
MedlinePlus describes screening tests as tests that can find diseases early, when they may be easier to treat. The person being tested usually feels fine. That is the whole point: the test looks for early warning signs that you cannot notice yourself.
Who needs which tests?
MedlinePlus explains that the tests you need depend on your age, your sex, your family history and your risk factors for certain diseases. This is why there is no single list that is right for everyone. Two people of the same age may be advised different tests because their family histories are different.
Common screening tests
MedlinePlus lists these among the common screenings:
- Breast and cervical cancer screening for women
- Prostate cancer screening for men
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Diabetes screening
- Blood pressure checks for high blood pressure
- Cholesterol checks
- Osteoporosis screening
- Checks for overweight and obesity
The same MedlinePlus page also points to screening for depression, lung cancer, skin cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, hepatitis C and vision problems. It also mentions common laboratory tests such as blood glucose and a complete blood count.
Where are screening tests done?
MedlinePlus says some screenings can be done in a doctor's office. Others need special equipment, so you may be asked to go to a different office or a clinic. Your doctor can tell you where to go.
After a screening test
It helps to ask, before you leave, when you will get your results and who will talk them through with you. A result that is outside the usual range does not by itself mean you have a disease. Often it means another test is needed, and a doctor will explain the next step.
Why a normal result is not a guarantee
A screening test gives a picture of one moment in time. A normal result is reassuring, but it does not mean a disease can never develop later, which is why doctors suggest repeating some tests at set intervals. In the same way, healthy habits such as being active, not smoking and keeping alcohol low still matter after a good result. Screening works best together with those habits, not instead of them.
Questions that help you understand a test
- What is this test looking for, and why am I being offered it?
- How do I prepare, for example do I need to avoid food or drink beforehand?
- How and when will I hear the result?
- What happens next if something unusual is found?
- How often should this test be repeated for someone like me?
How to decide what is right for you
- Write down your family history, including illnesses in parents, brothers and sisters.
- Make a list of your medicines and any symptoms, even small ones.
- Ask your doctor which screening tests suit your age and risks, and how often they should be repeated.
- Ask about the benefits and limits of each test, so you can make an informed choice together.
When to see a doctor
Screening is not a substitute for care when you are unwell. If you have new or worrying symptoms, do not wait for a screening date. See a doctor promptly.
Seek urgent help for warning signs such as chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness or confusion. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in India, 911 in the United States).
This article is general education and does not replace advice from your own doctor.
Common questions
What is a screening test?
MedlinePlus describes it as testing for a disease before you have symptoms, which can find problems early when they may be easier to treat.
How do I know which screening tests I need?
MedlinePlus says it depends on your age, sex, family history and risk factors, so ask your doctor to tailor the list for you.
Can screening be done in a doctor's office?
According to MedlinePlus, some can, while others need special equipment and may be done at a different office or clinic.
What should I ask after a screening?
MedlinePlus suggests asking when you will get the results and who will discuss them with you.
Important: please read
- Educational information only. This article is general health education. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reading it does not create a doctor–patient relationship with MyDoctor or with anyone else.
- Ask a qualified doctor. Always talk to a qualified, registered doctor about your own health. In India, that means a doctor registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) or a State Medical Council. In the United States, a licensed physician. Elsewhere, a doctor licensed where you live.
- Never ignore or delay professional advice because of something you read here. Do not start, stop or change any medicine or treatment without your doctor.
- Emergencies: call 112 in India, 911 in the United States, or your local emergency number. Do not wait for an online answer.
- No product is endorsed. MyDoctor does not recommend any brand, product or supplement in this article.
- About the sources. This article summarises, in our own words, information from the public health bodies named under Sources. Health knowledge changes, and this summary may not reflect the latest research or your personal situation.
- Liability. To the extent permitted by law, MyDoctor (MODERNUS HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED) accepts no liability for any decision made on the basis of this content.
Sources
- NIH MedlinePlus. Health Screening medlineplus.gov
- NIH MedlinePlus. Health screenings for men ages 40 to 64 medlineplus.gov
Dr. Ambed Mishra, PharmD, PhD
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Dr. Ambed Mishra is a clinical (patient care) scientist, author and former professor. He is Group CEO and Chief Medical Officer of MODERN US HEALTH (MODERN US GROUP), Austin, Texas, the group behind MyDoctor, and a senior consultant who teaches and trains MD/DO physicians, PharmD and PhD professionals, nurses and other healthcare professionals in patient care in the United States and India.
More about Dr. Ambed Mishra
- More than ten years of full-time leadership in United States healthcare, building patient care services that improve medication adherence and bring doctors, pharmacists and nurses together around each patient.
- Leads the MD and engineering teams behind MyDoctor: clinic and hospital management software, electronic health records and telehealth for hospitals and physician groups in the United States and India.
- Former Assistant Professor and Clinical Preceptor at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, and senior researcher with hospitals, universities and patient care groups in India and the United States.
- More than 30 published research and review articles and case reports, and more than 15 international conference presentations in India, Australia, Canada, the United States, Spain and other countries.
- Chief Medical Officer and Global Program Head of a nonprofit mission that helps cover hospital and doctor visit bills for patients in need in India, Nepal, the United States and other countries.
The author's office answers questions about articles, research, speaking and collaboration. It cannot give personal medical advice.