Why You Should Go To The Doctor(Even When You’re Healthy)
When you were little, your parents probably made sure you had an annual checkup with your doctor. But as you’ve grown older, you may have gotten out of this habit.
Health Professionals stress that these regular exams are important to help identify risk factors and problems before they become serious. If diseases are caught early, treatments are usually much more effective. Ultimately, having a regular doctor’s visit will help you live a long and healthy life.
Doctor’s Visit: Concerns for Men
For men, in addition to checking weight, high blood pressure, and other basics, your doctor’s visit may specifically include:
- Starting at age 50, or younger if you have a family history, a rectal exam to check for abnormal bumps in the prostate and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen for prostate cancer
- Between the ages of 65 and 75 if you have ever smoked cigarettes, an abdominal exam to check for an enlargement in your aorta; an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a weakness in the lining of the aorta (a large blood vessel in your chest and abdomen), can develop with age and become a life-threatening problem.
Doctor’s Visit: Concerns for Women
For women, in addition to checking weight, high blood pressure, and other basics, your doctor’s visit may specifically include:
- A test for cervical cancer, called a Pap smear, every one to three years
- A clinical breast exam to check for any unusual lumps or bumps in your breasts
- Starting at age 40 (or younger if you have a strong family history for breast cancer), a breast cancer screening with a mammogram every one to two years
- Starting at age 65, a referral for a bone density test to screen for osteoporosis, the disease that causes brittle, fragile bones and typically affects older women; women with more than one risk factor for osteoporosis may start earlier
Sources