6 Preventive Checkups Everyone Should at Least Once a Year

Perhaps next to life itself, nothing beats the importance of ensuring you are in good health at all times. Well, maintaining good health encompasses keeping an eye on a wide range of factors, including your medical history, family history, age, gender, lifestyle, and activity levels, among other things.

To a large extent, it also depends on the relationship you have with your doctor and how often you consult them whether feeling ill or in perfect health.

If you guessed right, keeping a medical professional at arm’s length can have a huge impact on your health and overall wellbeing. While most of us only visit the doctor when feeling unwell, medical practitioners can help in numerous ways to prevent some of the common health concerns most people face.

Needless to mention, everyone should visit the doctor’s office at least once every year for a comprehensive health checkup. In many individuals, routine health checks go a long way in aiding the early detection and treatment of ailments that would have otherwise been difficult, costly, and problematic to treat if not irreversible.

Especially when one starts approaching their golden years, regular visits to the doctor can help prevent some of the most troublesome diseases in human history. The same case applies to genetically predisposed individuals. With this having been mentioned, here are some six preventive checkups everyone should get at least once a year.

1. Dental Exam

Your dental and oral health plays a big part in your nutrition. When you have dental issues such as gum disease, dental plaque, and teeth loss, the range of foods you can eat is adversely affected.

Yellow or brown teeth can also have a huge impact on your smile, thus affecting your self-esteem and confidence. Unbeknownst to many, however, most of these oral health issues can be prevented, avoided, or rectified affordably before the situation becomes worse and too costly.

Ask the best dentists on the planet, and they will tell you that an annual dental checkup can save you a lot of trouble regardless of your age or gender.

To keep your dental health in tip-top shape, always ensure you visit a renowned dental practitioner in your local area for a checkup annually. If you hail from Contra Costa County, the Willow Pass Dental Care dentist in Concord, CA can help with a wide range of dental issues. From dental implants to pediatrics and general dentistry advice, experienced dentists will have a range of solutions for the entire family. Routine dental checkups should never be ignored.

2. Blood Pressure Tests

The blood plays a wide range of functions in the body. It’s how each and every cell of the human body is nourished, cleaned, and maintained. If the pressure is too high or too low, an endless cascade of problems and complications could arise.

This is why blood pressure is among the first ‘vitals’ checked at the triage whenever you visit the hospital. Even when in good health, it is crucial to have your blood pressure levels checked at least once annually because, as the experts say, high blood pressure is a silent killer.

Along with BP, other vitals checked include:

■ Heart rate

■ Respiratory rate/oxygen concentration

■ Temperature

3. Cancer Screening

Cancer is by far the most gruesome disease on the planet. It is a death sentence to most people to hear that they have cancer. If you put your health first, however, the good news you should know is that cancer is treatable, and even curable if caught early.

This is all the more reason to get annual screening for cancer, especially if you are fifty years old or above. Specific tests may include breast cancer (especially for women) and prostate cancer screening for men.

4. Eyesight Screening

Of the five senses, eyesight and hearing tend to decrease naturally as we grow older. In most cases, however, eyesight damage is related to environmental factors, physical strain, allergies, and so forth. While genetics play a huge role in this, some kinds of damage or sensory health issues can be prevented or treated if risks and symptoms are caught early. An annual eye checkup is crucial despite your age.

5. Hearing Screening

On the other hand, hearing screening is paramount. This is especially if you are older or showing symptoms of hearing issues. Your practitioner can recommend hearing aids or medical treatment for the infection causing the symptoms.

6. Physical Exam

Is your current weight healthy? Is your heartbeat regular? Are your lungs performing optimally? Along with your general physical appearance, these are some of the things your doctor will check during a physical exam.

As described above, they may also check your BP, heart rate, temperature, and respiratory rate. The test may also involve physically assessing various organs, including your liver (abdominal exam), urogenital organs, and so forth.

Finally, it is always advisable to visit your health facility every year for a complete health check-up. Often done by a GP, this involves overhaul scrutiny to gauge your overall health status. Including the ones listed above, it may include a myriad of exams that could last the entire day or more. The best way to stay healthy is to find out if you are healthy in the first place.

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