Regular doctor’s visits also help your doctor establish your medical baseline, which makes it easier to document and track concerning symptoms from the first sign of something out of the ordinary.
Early intervention for any health-threatening condition or disease progression gives you the best chance at a healthy outcome and good prognosis moving forward.
What happens during a medical checkup?
You’ll likely discuss your own medical history, your family’s history of disease, any concerns you have, and your lifestyle and diet.
During your checkup, your doctor will likely be:
● Looking at your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat
● Listening to your heart and lungs through their stethoscope
● Palpating for unusual lumps in the abdomen, underarms, groin, and neck
● Checking your vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation)
Depending on your age and diagnoses, your doctor may also order some routine blood tests such as a complete blood count (CBC), basic or comprehensive metabolic panel (BMP or CMP), a lipid panel, and/ or a thyroid panel. These tests give medical professionals valuable insight into your immune system, kidney and liver function, and cholesterol and glucose levels.
October is a big month for research, funding and information around several areas of health concern. You’ve likely seen hashtags or campaigns around these topics:
● World Autism Month
● Breast Cancer Awareness Month
● AIDS Awareness Month
● World Menopause Month
● Dental Hygiene Month
● Liver Awareness Month
Did you notice that the key word for almost all of these campaigns is awareness?
The public needs to be made aware of the symptoms and risks of these issues in general, and individuals just like you need to be made aware of any potential issues with their own health.
Let’s recap the 5 most important ways paying your trusted doctor a visit as soon as possible for a screening appointment will benefit you:
1. Early disease detection
As the famous saying goes, “Early detection is better than a cure.”
Discovering diseases or abnormalities early is the best way to stop them from getting worse, threatening your life, or affecting others around you.
Remember that baseline we talked about? Regular medical checkups enable your doctor to spot risk factors and watch for warning signs before you’d ever physically notice there’s a problem.
2. Less invasive treatments
Early diagnosis gives doctors the chance to treat their patients proactively – before the problem worsens – rather than retroactively, when it’s already bad and still getting worse.
Preventative and early-stage treatments like lifestyle changes, prescription medications, and minor procedures are much easier to manage and less invasive than what may be required otherwise, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and organ transplants.
3. Overall wellness
Prioritizing your health isn’t just about not getting sick – it’s about staying well. Wellness encompasses physical, emotional, and mental health.
Updating vital information about all three on a regular basis will give you and your doctor the best chance to make decisions and adjustments that support your well-being.
4. Lifestyle adjustments
Health screenings give you a window into your overall health by providing trackable metrics like body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, and liver function.
Higher BMI or cholesterol might signal a healthier diet and regular exercise are in order; elevated liver enzymes usually indicate it’s a good idea to cut back on your alcohol consumption; elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is a good indicator that stress management techniques like meditation could be helpful in your day-to-day life.
At the end of the day, having this kind of information creates opportunities for you to take steps towards a healthier you.
5. Reduce healthcare costs over time
Medical costs can pile up – especially when you’re dealing with a condition that needs urgent medical intervention because it wasn’t diagnosed earlier.
Not only is it expensive, getting sick can also force you to take extended leaves from work or school, which can have a cascading, disruptive effect in your life.
Periodic health screenings decrease your chances of disease and hospital admissions and save you both time and money.
Live a life that supports your health!
You’re taking a simple but essential step towards a longer, better life when you get a health screening. “Ignorance is bliss” – until it’s not – but real and peace of mind comes with awareness.
Start with visiting your healthcare provider to discuss which medical tests are right for you based on your age, gender, comorbidities, and family history.
There’s no better time than now to prioritize preventive health.
HealthChoice of Michigan is always ready to support your health journey, thanks to our full roster of trusted physicians in Metro Detroit providing a wide range of available health services.
Choose a healthcare plan that fits your needs and provides the best coverage at affordable rates. We’ve been providing top-quality health, dental, and optical benefits for 30 years and counting.