Why Regular Health Checkups Matter Even When You Feel “Fine”

Think about your car, your keke, or your generator. Even when they’re running smoothly, you know to change the oil, check the tires, or service the engine regularly. Why? Because you want to catch a small problem before it becomes a major, expensive breakdown. Your body is much more valuable than any machine, yet many people wait until they are seriously ill before seeing a doctor.

Many Nigerians, especially those far from hospitals, believe that if they feel strong, they are fine. They only seek help when they are in pain or their sickness stops them from working.

This is a dangerous risk. This essential post from MyCyberClinics will explain why getting regular health checkups, even when you feel perfectly well, is the best investment you can make in your health and your wallet. We’ll focus on silent diseases common in Nigeria and give you simple, low-cost ways to perform health checks.

The Problem: Silent Diseases Are Stealing Our Health

The biggest reason to check up when you feel fine is because the most dangerous diseases often have no obvious signs in the early stages. They are silent killers, secretly damaging your body until it’s too late.

The Most Common Silent Killers in Nigeria:

• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): The pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. This condition has very few symptoms, yet it is a major cause of stroke, kidney failure, and heart attack. Hypertension is a leading cause of non-communicable disease burden in Nigeria [Source].
• Diabetes (High Blood Sugar): Your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t use it properly, leading to high sugar levels in the blood. Untreated, this damages your eyes, nerves, and kidneys. Symptoms are often missed or ignored until the disease is advanced.
• Early Cancers: Cancers often begin as small, treatable lumps or changes. Waiting until you feel pain means the cancer may have spread and become much harder to cure.

When these diseases are found late, treatment is complicated, long, and extremely expensive, often requiring hospital stays that cost much more than a simple checkup.

The Barrier: Why We Skip the Checkup

We know that prioritizing a checkup when you feel fine is difficult, especially with the challenges faced in Nigeria:

• Cost Fear: People worry that a clinic visit for a checkup will be too expensive, and they prefer to save that money for when they are truly sick.
• Time and Distance: Taking a full day to travel to a clinic for a checkup feels like a waste of time and income when there are no immediate symptoms.
• Misconception of Strength: There is a common cultural belief that if you are physically strong enough to work, you don’t need a doctor. People mistake the absence of pain for the presence of health.
• Lack of Awareness: Many people simply do not know that diseases like hypertension can be present without any signs.

Your Defense: What A Checkup Does For You

A checkup is simply a visit to a health professional to see if your body is working correctly. It is Preventive Care and it is the key to managing your health cheaply.

1. Catching Silent Problems Early

A doctor will check your Blood Pressure (BP), which is the only way to know if you have hypertension. They will check your Blood Sugar and look for early signs of diabetes. When caught early, these conditions can often be managed with cheap lifestyle changes or low-cost medication, avoiding expensive and life-threatening complications later on.

2. Getting the Right Vaccinations

Checkups ensure you are up-to-date on essential vaccines, which are often free or very low-cost at government facilities. Vaccinations for diseases like tetanus are crucial, especially for adults in occupational or farming environments.

3. Personal Health Advice

The doctor can give you personalized advice on the common health risks in your area (like malaria prevention, water safety, or diet), helping you adjust your lifestyle to prevent illness before it starts. This personalized advice is much better than guessing!

Low-Cost, Accessible Checkup Options

You don’t always need to travel far to start a regular checkup routine.

1. The Power of Your Phone (Mobile Checkup)

While telemedicine cannot take your blood pressure, it is perfect for the first part of a checkup: the Health Risk Assessment.

• Consult MyCyberClinics: Talk to a doctor about your family’s health history (if anyone has diabetes or hypertension), your lifestyle (smoking, drinking, diet), and any minor, ignored symptoms (like headaches, fatigue, or blurry vision). The doctor can then advise you precisely on which simple tests you need (e.g., blood pressure, blood sugar) and where to get them cheaply.

2. Use Your Local PHC

Your local Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) is specifically designed for accessible, low-cost services.

• Basic Tests: PHCs usually offer cheap or free checks for Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar. Make it a point to visit your PHC once or twice a year, even when well, just for these two simple tests.
• Maternal Health: For women, regular checkups during pregnancy (antenatal care) are critical. Skipping these checks leads to major risk for both mother and baby.

Your Regular Checkup Action Plan

Don’t wait for a breakdown to seek help. Take these simple, low-cost steps to stay ahead of silent diseases.

1. Get Your BP and Sugar Checked (Today!): If you are over 30, commit to getting your Blood Pressureand Blood Sugar tested at your local PHC or a nearby chemist at least once every six months. It is quick and cheap.
2. Ask About Family History: Talk to your parents or older relatives about any diseases that run in the family (like diabetes or high BP). This helps your doctor focus on your specific risks.
3. Schedule a “Well Check” Consultation: Use MyCyberClinics to talk to a doctor about your general health and lifestyle. This can be done affordably from your phone and gives you a professional health risk plan.
4. Prioritize Antenatal Care: If you are a woman who is pregnant, attend all your scheduled antenatal visits at the PHC. These are your essential checkups.

Invest in your health when you are strong, so your strength will last.

Don’t let a silent disease take you by surprise. Your life is too valuable. Schedule a simple, general health consultation with a licensed doctor on MyCyberClinics today to understand your personal health risks. Share this post and encourage your family to get their BP checked!