Most people miss the point of going to their annual physical examinations in favor of trusting their health habits. But to maintain your peak physical condition, you have to be willing to sacrifice the time and effort to keep it up.
While there are many tutorials online that offer at-home physical exams, there are some physical exams that you should get at a proper clinic or hospital. It’s best to have a professional review of the results so you would have an in-depth assessment of your overall health condition.
Update any necessary immunizations
If you’re not someone known to document every doctor’s visit or test you ever had, then chances are you also don’t know correctly which immunizations you’ve taken and which you have yet to take. Luckily, the clinic’s office will usually have a file under your name with the records of all the services you’ve been given. Because of this, you won’t have to worry about getting an extra tetanus shot or missing a mammogram one – your doctor will know for you and take care of the rest. Additionally, annual physicals are also a great way to review your medical records again over the past year.
Check for possible diseases that can be treated early
While it is advisable to conduct basic check-ups on yourself every week, there is only so much your general knowledge of the human body and anatomy will know. Certain tests involve the heart and lungs, for example, that require more detailed monitoring. Then there are the other more intricate organs that have to be dealt with a certain level of delicacy like the eyes. Whether they advise you to get a CT scan for a more thorough examination or surgical treatment for glaucoma, you surely wouldn’t have thought of getting them if you didn’t go to the exam.
Build an ongoing relationship with your clinician
Even if you see different specialists from time to time, people tend to go to them when they have a specific medical problem they want to be addressed. In contrast, having a primary clinician who has seen you for a longer period and is more familiar with your medical records will be more advantageous. Having built both a professional and personal relationship with will do you both well in your health history. Because your doctor has a better grasp of your physical and emotional states, any changes in them may signal a developing disease or overall decline in health, which can be tended to right away.
Get a personalized health care plan
Because you have built such a wonderful rapport with your primary care clinician, they will have a good sense of your overall health and be able to evaluate as such. Having a medical professional who knows you very well – in sickness and in health – will help them put you in perspective and devise a proper lifestyle change that caters to your own needs. Next time you visit your doctor, make sure to bring a list of the current medications you’re taking so you can both evaluate which ones you should still be on or which ones you can do without.
Conclusion:
While it is easy to forget or re-schedule your annual exam for a later time – sometimes even dismissing the task completely – always keep in mind there is only so much your monitoring can detect. It’s still best to seek out a professional for your peace of mind and body.
