Often, when we think of health care, we don’t even consider preventive care. We think that we shouldn’t see a doctor until something is really wrong with us. So, we don’t realize how important it is to get an annual physical and just how much it can save us from becoming sick.
At Cary OB/GYN, we understand just how much a comprehensive preventive screening benefits our patient’s health and wellbeing. Our physicians are specialists in gynecology and primary care, so they’re well-skilled in making sure that your health is fully regarded. That’s why they’ve compiled this helpful guide about why a preventive care visit is so important.
The importance of detecting illness early
No matter how old you are, you could be developing health problems. Early detection is essential to preventing and avoiding these chronic health conditions. There are a couple of different health problems that a preventive screening can detect early on with tests like the following:
- Blood pressure test – This exam measures your blood’s pressure against your arteries. It can help detect both high and low blood pressure.
- Body mass index (BMI) – We calculate this using your height and weight to determine if your weight is within the healthy range. This is important because being overweight or obese can place you at risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart problems.
- Blood sugar screening – This makes sure that your blood glucose levels are normal, indicating that your body is processing blood sugar correctly. It also checks to make sure that you don’t have diabetes or pre-diabetes.
- Cholesterol test – This helps to make sure that your cholesterol levels are normal. If your cholesterol is high, then you could be in danger of developing atherosclerosis, which places you at risk for having a heart attack or a stroke.
- Skin cancer exam – This is a full-body exam that detects any moles or growths on your skin, which are tested to ensure that they aren’t cancerous.
- Breast exam – With this test, we make sure that there aren’t any lumps in your breasts, which could be tumors.
- Gynecological screening – This test helps us make sure that your reproductive health is functioning well. It could include a Pap smear that checks for abnormal cells, which could point to cervical cancer.
Keeping your immunizations up-to-date
With an annual physical, we can check to ensure that all of your immunizations are up-to-date. Immunizations are just as important for adults as they are for children. They can help protect you from things like HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer.
It’s a new year, and it’s time to make your health care a priority, Make sure your health is optimal and get ahead of any health problems that could creep up on you. Call us to schedule a preventive care appointment today.
