Knowing your family's health history benefits your well-being in many ways. It can provide valuable information about potential health risks, guide medical treatment, and help you plan for the future. Due to this, interest has steadily increased in genetic testing worldwide, including in the UK. According to data, 1 in 17 people may develop a rare medical condition. However, upon a careful check, you will realise it may have happened to a current relative or one or two generations removed, making it essential to know your family’s health history as early as possible. Below are 3 benefits of knowing your family's health history.
By Team Savant
Image: Patty Brito
1. A Chance For Early Detection
Knowing your family's health history can help you identify potential health risks early and take steps to prevent or manage them. That is particularly important if your family has a history of certain diseases. When you know your potential health risks, you can take steps to prevent or manage them. Sometimes, it presents an opportunity to improve your chances of avoiding or delaying the onset of certain inherited diseases. This is what is driving frequent screenings of common medical conditions. You can make lifestyle changes such as exercise, healthy eating, and avoiding nicotine to help reduce your risks. Early detection can also lead to better outcomes and improved quality of life.
2. Personalised Medical Treatment
Personalised medical treatment is an important aspect of healthcare regarding inherited illnesses. Your healthcare provider needs this crucial information to make more informed decisions about your medical care. Even though your medical condition may not have progressed to an advanced stage, a specialist wants to be adequately prepared for all possible treatment options. Knowing your family health history and the medications relatives used can help your care provider decide what adjustments work for you. Some inherited diseases progress slowly.
An example is certain allergies that manifest in adulthood and not in childhood. In this case, steps like food allergies treatment, will require careful monitoring and exposure to make a list of all foods your body may react to. For other inherited conditions, a personalised medical treatment will include frequent tests and screenings to monitor cell mutations. Some medications perform better when cell mutations haven't reached an advanced stage. Suppose your family has a history of cancer. In that case, your specialist may recommend what is known as prophylactic surgery if necessary. This preventive surgery is undertaken to remove an otherwise healthy organ or gland with the potential to develop cancer later in life.
3. Better And Practical Planning For the Future
This benefit is particularly important if your family has a history of developing certain conditions later in life. These are age-related neurological conditions, like Alzheimer's and other diseases, categorised under dementia. You should protect your financial and legal affairs before the disease develops, as most still have no cure. So, if your genetic test shows an increased risk of developing it, it’s best to start planning for the future. You can decide in advance things relating to the kind of care you want and where you want to live for the rest of your life. It affords you the privacy and integrity anybody deserves when they cannot take care of themselves due to ill health.