SHOULD I HAVE AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAM?


For both men and women in general, the importance of an annual physical examination by a health care professional or doctor cannot be emphasized on enough. Actually, delaying an annual physical exam can hurt most people, especially as one grows older. Annual physical exams are very important as they provide you with optimal health care and help you live a longer healthier life.

Sometimes, symptoms of certain cancers and diseases are silent and usually do not show until it is too late. With regular tests, you can detect and treat certain cancers like, breast or cervical cancer in women and testicular or prostrate cancer in men. Among the most common cancers are cancer of the colon, cervix, breast, skin, and prostate. Screening for colon cancer should typically begin at the age 50 years. Women should be checked regularly for cervical cancer after the age of 18. Regular breast cancer screening after the age of 40 is also recommended. Skin cancer is now becoming increasingly common and can be detected by a thorough screening as part of a routine physical exam. Men after the age of 50 should also have regular prostrate and testicular exams, as their risk for these cancers increase with age.

Osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases are also usually silent and symptoms only occur when it is too late to do anything. Another silent disease is hypertension which can further lead to heart disease and strokes. By getting your blood pressure checked regularly, you can treat high blood pressure before it causes any serious damage. In fact though high blood pressure is so dangerous, it is the most easy to treat, with a combination of a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. Regular check ups can also detect vision problems as well as dental diseases, skin allergies and rashes.

The older you grow the more important a physical exam becomes. Certain problems that you attribute to "old age," and ‘something you have to live with’, can actually be underlying signs of treatable diseases and conditions. Annual physical exams also give you an opportunity to speak to your doctor and discuss the latest health care options open to you.

Many experts now believe that periodic health examinations are the easiest and most inexpensive way to combat disease and safeguard people's health. Remember, the primary goal for your doctor is to keep you healthy and provide the best care available. There is now more and more overwhelming evidence that people who get regular preventative check ups fare better in terms of health then those who do not, this is because a complete physical examination can improve a person’s general health.

A physical examination should be seen as a means to your safeguarding yourself, as a thorough exam can pick up on a variety of illnesses and prevent potentially devastating diseases. By finding, diagnosing and treating problems early, you can live a much healthier and longer life.

Additionally an annual physical exam can also save you money in the long run. This is because sickness can be very expensive these days, with hospital costs, tests, and specialists’ fees costing a lot of money. By going for regular check ups and catching diseases before they can occur, you can save yourself a lot of unnecessary monetary stress and lead a much more productive healthy life.