A health check-up is a good opportunity to get a picture of your own health status without any acute complaints. The focus is on identifying risks before they become problems, and on having a conversation about your personal situation. How comprehensive such preventive care should be depends on your age, medical history, and lifestyle — your family doctor will tailor it individually to you.
Possible causes
New life stage or milestone birthday
Many people use a particular point in time as an opportunity to have their health status checked thoroughly and at their leisure. A good and quite common reason for a check-up.
Family history
If certain diseases occur frequently in your family, targeted preventive care can help keep your personal risk in view.
Questions about risk factors
Topics such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, smoking, or exercise can be discussed and assessed well during a check-up.
Desire for a status assessment
Even without a specific reason, the desire to assess your own health status and do something preventively is a sensible reason for a preventive care consultation.
Typical steps at the doctor's office
- 1It begins with a detailed conversation about your medical history, your lifestyle, family illnesses, and any complaints — this determines what makes sense for you.
- 2This is followed by a physical examination and, depending on the situation, targeted measurements such as blood pressure, and if needed, a blood test.
- 3Finally, the results are discussed together and, where appropriate, recommended preventive examinations or everyday measures are agreed upon.
What you can do yourself
- Before your appointment, think about which questions and concerns you would like to discuss, and write them down.
- Have information ready about illnesses in your family and any medications you may be taking.
- Use the conversation to openly address topics such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, or smoking.
- View the check-up as a status assessment from which concrete, achievable steps can emerge.
You can schedule a health check-up without any acute reason, especially during new life stages, if there is a family history of disease, or when you want to update your preventive care. Your family doctor will be happy to advise you on what scope makes sense for your age and situation.
Frequently asked questions
- How often does a check-up make sense?
- This depends on your age, medical history, and risk factors. For many people, an interval of a few years is appropriate; with a family history or with increasing age, it may make sense more frequently. Your family doctor will recommend a suitable schedule for you.
- What is included in a health check-up?
- Typically a detailed conversation, a physical examination, and depending on the situation, measurements such as blood pressure, and if needed, a blood test. The scope is individually tailored to you.
- Do I need to have complaints to do a check-up?
- No. A health check-up is precisely intended to identify risks early and take preventive action without acute complaints.
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