March 27, 2019
Routine Health Examinations Can Help Detect Serious Health Issues
Some diseases and illnesses have obvious signs and symptoms, whereas others can be undetected for months or even years. This is why it’s important to get an annual physical exam. Even if you feel great and think you’re in perfect health, the standard screening that is conducted at an annual physical can detect hidden symptoms of potentially life-threatening issues.
While some of the routine screening questions may seem rudimentary, they are being asked for very specific reasons. Your physician knows exactly what to look for in order to determine whether problematic symptoms are presenting themselves. Physical exams are recommended annually because if problematic symptoms do present themselves, you and your physician should have a sufficient amount of time to determine treatment options if needed.
Blood Sugar Testing
Testing blood sugar levels can help diagnosis diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Having a doctor look at your blood pressure annually could help with an early diagnosis of a potential heart attack or stroke, and will initiate critical preventative measures.
Cholesterol Screening
High cholesterol levels could be symptomatic of coronary heart disease.
Bone Density Measurements
If screenings reveal thin bones you could be at risk for osteoporosis, which can be prevented if the right medication is taken early enough.
Mammograms
All women 40 years of age and older should have an annual mammogram, or breast x-ray, to detect potentially cancerous lumps in the breast tissue.
Pap Smears
Pap Smears are the best tool to determine whether or not a woman is at risk for cervical cancer. Early detection and treatment is critical for any threats of cervical cancer.
Prostate Exams
Men aged 50 years and older should have an annual prostate exam to help identify any potential signs of prostate cancer.
Because many symptoms can go undetected, routine tests conducted at annual exams are intended to identify any possible health problems, and most important, to address any issues before they become serious.
