Why Every Woman Should Have A Yearly Physical

We hate to go to the doctor. With the skyrocketing costs of insurance, co-payments and office visits, it sometimes just doesn't seem economically feasible to go to the doctor for an annual physical. Then there's finding the time that we can take off from work or have our kids watched. All-in-all, it seems like a bigger pain than it is worth. However, an annual exam is imperative for us to maintain our health. Here are some reasons why we need that exam.

Identifying Health Problems Early

Many potential health issues are found in the annual exam. Since many tests are only done once a year, and the symptoms can be long in coming, if we wait to until we have an issue, it may be too late or be more expensive.

For instance, a pap smear, breast exam and mammogram are done once a year. These are tests for various forms of cancers. Early detection can mean the difference between treatment and death. Since both of these areas often don't give outward symptoms that we feel, it is only through these tests that any potential problems can be identified quick enough to allow for treatment and remission.

Also, since there are a variety of blood tests that will be performed, depending on age, other issues such as elevated cholesterol, which can lead to heart issues or strokes, elevated blood sugar, which can indicate diabetes, and certain chemical imbalances, which can be predictor's of future health issues.

Also, depending on age, you may need a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, especially if you have a family history of colon cancer. These tests need to be scheduled at a later date, but it also requires a referral from your doctor to get it scheduled. The doctor may perform a hemocult test to determine if there is a problem now.

Great Time To Discuss Any Health Concerns

If you have any health concerns that you haven't discussed previously, this is a great time to do that. Because there is a bigger block of time, you can discuss such issues as starting a weight loss program, a fitness program, getting pregnant and a myriad of other things that you may have thought of.

This is also a great time to update any medication changes that you may have made in the last year and get your yearly refills. Many medications can have refills up to a year out, but then there are certain blood tests or exams that need to be done to carry the refills out for another year.

Another good reason for having your yearly physical is it is an excellent time to discuss with your doctor about any new health history concerns that may not have been present in the past, such as a parent or sibling being diagnosed with cancer of any form, new family history of diabetes and so forth. These factors are important in determining any other tests that may be need now or in the future.

Our health is the one thing that we can do something about. Although time consuming and expensive, an annual physical is one of the most vital things we can have to maintain our medical health. By having this yearly exam, we can find potential health issues sooner so that treatments can begin quicker. It is also a great time to update your medications, talk to your doctor about an issues and get the tests you need for yearly medication refills.

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