Oftentimes, we disregard preventive care and its importance to our overall health. So, most of us don’t realize how important it is to get an annual physical. We just don’t think that it can provide us with any benefits.
The importance of early detection
Even if you’re young and don’t have any health concerns, you could still be developing health problems that you aren’t even aware of. When it comes to preventing and avoiding these issues, early detection is important.
During your wellness exam, there are certain tests we perform that can detect problems early on, including the following.
Blood glucose screening
This test measures how well your body processes blood sugar. If your body doesn’t process your blood sugar well, the test can detect prediabetes or diabetes.
Blood pressure screening
This exam measures how much pressure your blood is placing on your arteries. It determines whether you have high or low blood pressure.
Body mass index (BMI)
The body mass index determines if you’re at a healthy weight. It’s calculated using your height and weight. This test is important because being overweight can place you at risk for a host of health concerns, like diabetes and heart problems.
Cholesterol screening
A cholesterol screening helps to ensure that your cholesterol is at a healthy level. This test is important because high cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, which raises your risk for developing a heart attack or stroke.
Gynecological exam
This test helps to make sure that your reproductive health is at its best. It usually includes a pap smear to detect abnormal cells that can point to cervical cancer.
Prostate exam
This test helps detect any physical signs of prostate cancer. Often included with the exam is a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.
Breast exam
With this test, we can identify lumps in your breasts or changes in your breast skin that may be cancerous.
Skin cancer screening
This is a full-body exam that helps to catch any questionable moles or growths on your skin that might be cancerous.
Immunization check
Making sure your immunizations are up to date isn’t just for children. This is something that we check up on during each wellness exam. Up-to-date immunizations help protect adults from diseases like hepatitis, pneumonia, shingles, and the flu, among other things.
Take control of your health with a wellness exam
As you can see, there are many benefits to getting your annual wellness exam. And there are a lot of problems that we can detect early, keeping you from serious health concerns that can crop up later. So, call us or schedule an appointment right on our website today.