High time for a checkup

There’s plenty you can do to stay healthy and fit into old age. But even a healthy lifestyle is no guarantee that you won’t fall ill unexpectedly. Proper prevention is better than long drawn-out treatment. Here’s a summary of the most important health checks.
Author:
Content-Team SWICA

Weight

Obesity is one of society’s biggest health problems. Around 19% of children are already overweight or obese. As well as limiting freedom of movement, obesity is a potential cause of numerous non-infectious diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

 

Skin

Around 2,400 people in Switzerland get skin cancer every year. At particularly high risk are those with more than 50 moles (melanomas) or fair skin, strawberry blond hair, blue eyes and freckles. If you have moles, keep an eye out for the ABCDE warning signs (asymmetry, border, colour, diameter, evolving) to spot changes in good time and consult a doctor if necessary.

 

Gynaecological checkups

Women age 20 and over are advised to have a gynaecological checkup every three years. This includes a smear, an ultrasound scan of the reproductive organs, and possibly a mammogram.

 

Cardiovascular health

There are four key factors in cardiovascular health: blood pressure, blood cholesterol, waistline and blood sugar. From age 35 you should get these things checked out regularly by a doctor so that potential problems can be dealt with early on.

 

Eyes

It’s a good idea to start going for regular eye check-ups by age 40 at the latest. As a part of the examination your vision will be tested and your intraocular pressure will be measured. To protect your eyes from too much light, make sure you wear sunglasses with UV protection.

 

Hearing

Your hearing can deteriorate with age. From age 50 you should go for routine hearing tests, either from an ear doctor or hearing aid specialist. If you’re not sure whether you need a consultation, you can do this online test (German and French only) to get an idea.

 

Helping you stay healthy

SWICA’s Completa Top, Completa PREVENTA and Optima supplementary insurance plans help you close the gaps in your mandatory basic health insurance. They give you full financial protection and generous support with your efforts to stay fit and healthy. Please call us toll-free on +41 58 800 99 33 for non-binding advice.



12.08.2015

For your health: santé24 and SWICA Benecura

Do you have a health question? Our physicians and healthcare professionals at santé24 are available 24/7 on +41 44 404 86 86 for SWICA customers. In addition to telephone health advice, patients whose conditions are appropriate for telemedicine can receive medical services such as diagnostics, treatment, and even e-prescriptions for prescription medications.

Do you feel ill? The SWICA Benecura medical app makes it easy to carry out a digital SymptomCheck. You will receive a personal recommendation about what to do next. Send your information in encrypted form to the santé24 online practice for your telephone consultation to significantly shorten the assessment.