As a child, you had frequent visits with your pediatrician to ensure proper growth and development. Now that you’re fully grown, you may think that there is no need to see a physician until you reach an advanced age or have obvious signs and symptoms of a medical problem. However, this type of thinking can get you into trouble. Missing just one annual physical exam can allow a newly developing health issue to spiral out of control. By avoiding your doctor, you may also miss opportunities to learn about preventing both chronic and acute conditions from occurring in the first place. Even if you take great care of yourself and feel healthy and vibrant, an essential component of maintaining your overall well-being is to see your doctor for an annual health assessment. Don’t have one? Let SmartChoiceMD find a doctor for you!
A typical annual checkup for adults begins with a reading of your blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs. Your doctor will then use a stethoscope to listen to your heart and lungs for signs of disease. He or she will also perform a head and neck exam, visually inspecting the eyes, ears, nose and throat and palpating the neck for lumps or swollen glands. Your doctor will also palpate the abdomen to detect abnormalities of the digestive organs. Other components of your exam may include a skin check for dermatological problems or a neurological exam to check your reflexes and muscle strength. Depending on your age, family history and personal medical history, you may need to undergo lab work and imaging tests to screen for various diseases. For instance, most adults are advised to obtain a colonoscopy by the age of 50 or even sooner if a first-degree relative has had the disease.
Men and women obviously have unique health concerns that require frequent monitoring. A female physical exam may include a pelvic exam, pap test, breast exam and a mammogram, and a male physical exam may include a check for hernias, testicular lumps or an enlarged prostate.
In addition to seeing your doctor regularly, a healthy lifestyle plays a considerable role in keeping illness and disease at bay. At every visit, your doctor will be dedicated to educating you on making good choices, and assessing your unique needs to make personalized recommendations on diet, exercise, supplements and medications that can help prevent health issues and enhance your overall quality of life.
The physicians and other specialists who SmartChoiceMD has carefully selected to partner with, view annual exams as an investment in your future health. They would much rather see you once a year for health screenings and tips on preventive care than more frequently to treat you for a serious illness. Checkups allow your doctor to stay on top of your health to both prevent disease and catch it early so that conservative treatments are all you need to reach a state of balance. If it has been a while since your last checkup, your first step toward feeling empowered and in charge of your own health is to make an appointment with one of our doctors as soon as possible.