Going to the doctor for your annual check-up often feels like a chore, but it’s an essential activity that enables you to stay on top of your health. Of course, people see the doctor for various reasons – be it to follow-up on their status or ask for a diagnosis regarding a new health concern.
Why are Regular Check-Ups with Your Doctor Important for Your Health?
Keeping in touch with your doctor can make a world of difference in your physical and mental state. Not only does it update you on your condition and update your clinical data, but it helps identify risk factors that can lead to chronic diseases. Visiting your doctor can also prevent illnesses by detecting symptoms that may be invisible to you.
Seeing as doctor check-ups take time and money, it’s in your best interest to make the most of your visit by asking the right questions and maintaining good communication with your doctor. This includes clarifying instructions that are not clear with you or asking them to expound on medical terms you are unfamiliar with.
What are the Preventive Measures You Should Expect in Your Annual Medical Check-Up?
The main point of medical check-ups is to promote the prevention of potential diseases. With that in mind, you can expect the following interventions during your check-up:
- Screening Tests – These are typically done to detect early signs of disease either through a physical exam, blood pressure reading, pap test, or laboratory tests.
- Immunizations – Getting vaccination shots as a child isn’t enough to last you a lifetime. With that in mind, medical check-ups are the perfect time to update your immunizations through a tetanus booster, flu shots, and other forms of vaccinations.
- Counseling – This is a general health promotion that aims to prevent or decrease the burden of struggling with diseases, such as smoking cessation, safe sex practices, folic acid supplements, or pre-pregnancy advice.
- Clinical History – More often than not, most medical check-ups involve refreshing you and the doctor of your clinical history. This includes the dates and results of your previous preventive procedures like immunizations and screening tests. It also updates your family history of diseases, which allows your doctor to create a health care plan that mitigates the risk of developing a disease that is common in your family.
During this time, the best way to maximize your visit is to ask the right questions, such as the following:
- Why is the test being done?
- What steps does the test involve?
- Are there any side-effects to the test or prescription?
- How will I find out the results? How long should I wait?
- What should I expect after the test?
The Bottom Line
Keep in mind that if the tests are done by a specialist, you need to send the results to your primary doctor for a second opinion and to update your medical records. Overall, the following preventive measures help determine the health status of your normal body functions like your eating habits, sleeping pattern, urination, bowel movement, vision, and hearing.
If you are looking for a primary care doctor in New Jersey to advise you on your general health, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.